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UNIVERSITY  OF 
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UNIVERSITY  OF  N,C.  AT  CHAPEL  HILL 


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Digitized  by  the  Internet  Arciiive 

in  2012  witii  funding  from 

University  of  Nortii  Carolina  at  Chapel  Hil 


http://archive.org/details/truestoriesfromastri 


TRUE    STORIES, 

FROM 

ANCIENT   HISTORY 

CHROJ^OLOGIC^LLT  ARRJi^OED, 

FROM  THE  CREATION  OF  THE  WORLD  TO 
THE  DEATH  OF  CHARLEMAGNE. 

^  '^  Y  ''  '1. '/..  ^   '  ;'"   '  I  •     ^^  OY  iL^ 
BY   A  MOTHER,     "^ 

AUTHOR    OF 

"ALWAYS  HAPPY,"    "STORIES  FROM  MODERN  HISTORY,"   &c 


NEW    YORK: 

CHARLES  S.  FRANCIS  &  CO.,  252  BROADWAY. 

BOSTON: 

JOSEPH  H.  FRANCIS,   ]2S  WASHINGTON  STREET. 

1851. 


PREFACE 


Many  years  ago,  I  made  a  memorandum  to 
write  a  Sketch  of  Progressive  History  for  my 
children,  as  soon  as  they  were  of  an  age  to 
relish  such  reading. 

That  period  is  arrived,  and  I  have  cheer- 
fully commenced  the  undertaking :  it  does 
not  prove  so  easy  as  I  anticipated.  Ancient 
History  is  entangled  with  fable  ;  and  Modern 
History  is  too  abounding  in  events  to  admit 
so  clear  and  simple  a  narrative  as  I  had  pro- 
jected :  some  incidents  are  too  doubtful ; 
some  indelicate ;  some  unintelligible :  the 
most  amusing  are  too  often  tainted  with  one 
or  other  of  these  defects. 

Yet  it  was  imperative  that  my  work  should 
be  amusing,  or  children  would  not  read  it  ; 
1* 


b  PREFACE. 

that  it  should  be  accurate,  or  children  would 
not  profit  by  it.  I  have  endeavored  to  meet 
this  necessity,  and  to  produce  a  composition 
as  entertaining  and  as  true  as  possible. 

The  few  remarks  in  the  margin  are  for  the 
information  of  parents  and  instructors,  that 
they  may  readily  discover  the  sources  whence 
I  derived  the  opinions  and  the  facts  I  have 
collected.  The  chronology  generally  ob- 
served is  that  of  Usher,  as  given  by  Dr, 
Tytler  in  his  very  useful  publication,  ''  The 
Elements  of  General  History." 

Let  it  be  remembered,  that  this  work  is 
written  rather  to  raise  curiosity  than  to  satis- 
fy it  —  a  mere  initiatory  book  for  young 
readers. 


INDEX 


CHRONOLOGICAL    TABLE 


B. C.  Pago. 

4004  Creation  of  the  World,  by  the  Mosaic  Account  . . .   11 

2348  Universal  Deluge 13 

2245  Nimrod ,  Founder  of  Babylon 13 

2188  Menes,  Founder  of  Egypt 1(3 

2075  Seiniramis , 13 

1996  Abraham  born 15 

1822  Memnon,  the  Egyptian,  Inventor  of  Letters 16 

1577  Sesostris 16 

1556  Athens  founded  by  Cecrops 18 

1546  Troy  founded  by  Scamander 18 

15)6  Lelex,  Founder  of  Sparta 19 

1 184  Troy  taken  and  burnt 20 

907  Homer  flourished 20 

884  Lycurgus  gives  Laws  to  Sparta 22 

869  Dido,  Queen  of  Carthage 26 

776  The  First  Olympiad 28 

753  Rome  founded  by  Romulus 30 

732  Syracuse  founded  by  a  Colony  of  Corinthians. ...  28 

667  Combat  of  the  Horatii  and  the  Curiatii 40 

629  Periander,  Tyrant  of  Corinth , 51 

624  Draco,  the  Athenian  Lawgiver 44 

599  Cyrus  born 54 

594  Solon  gives  Laws  to  Athens 45 

588  Temple  of  Jerusalem  destroyed  by  Nebuchadnezzar  54 

585  Tliales,  the  Philosopher,  flourished 46 

685  iEsop,  the  Fabulist,  flourished 50 

562  Croesus,  King  of  Lydia 45,  56 

560  Pisistratus,  Tyrant  at  Athens 50 

538  Cyrus  takes  Babylon 56 

520  Confucius,  the  Chinese  Philosopher,  flourished  ...   57 

510  The  PisistratidjB  expelled  from  Athens 65 

509  Tarquin,  seventh  and  last  King  of  Rome,  expelled  04 

508  Junius  Brutus,  first  Consul  of  Rome 69 

497  Pythagoras,  the  Philosopher,  died OS 


8  INDEX. 

B.  C.  Page. 

493  Tribunes  of  the  People  created  at  Rome 73 

490  Coriolanus  banished  from  Rome 72 

490  Miltiades  wins  the  Battle  of  xMarathon 67 

485  Xerxes  the  Great.  King  of  Persia 74 

484  Aristides  the  Just'. 66,  79,  83 

484  Themistocles,  the  Athenian 68,  78,  82 

480  Leonidas  at  Thermopylffi 75 

480  Battle  of  Salarnis  . . . '. 80 

4.^0  Gelon,  King  of  Syracuse 81 

480  Cimon,  Son  of  Miltiades 78,  82 

458  Cincinnalus,  Dictator  of  Rome 86 

451  Decemviri  at  Rome 88 

449  Death  of  Virginia  .  - 89 

431  Peloponnesian  War  begins 93 

431  Socrates,  the  Athenian  Philosopher 98 

429  Death  of  Pericles 92 

41o  Alcibiades  flees  to  Sparta 96 

404  Lvsander  takes  Athens 98 

401  Retreat  of  the  Ten  Thousand 103 

400  Socrates  put  to  Death 102 

387  The  Gauls  sack  Rome,  Camillus  defeats  them  ....   108 
371  The  Spartans  defeated  at  Leuctra  by  Epaminondas  116 

365  Aristippus,  the  Philosopher,  flourished 103 

363  Battle  of  Mantinea,  and  Death  of  Epaminondas  . .    118 

362  Marcus  Curtius  leaps  into  a  deep  Chasm 120 

360  Philip  of  Macedon  made  King 126 

3ul  Titus  Manlius  Torquatus  combats  with  a  Gaul  . .  •   123 

350  Plato,  the  Athenian  Philosopher,  flourished 133 

348  Demosthenes,  the  Athenian  Orator,  flourished. ...   123 

343  Dionysius  expelled  from  Syracuse   136 

340  Decius  devotes  himself  for  Rome 139 

337  Death  of  Timoleon 133 

335  Dioorenes,  the  Cvnic  Philosopher,  flourished 142 

323  Alexander  the  Great  dies 147 

321   The  Romans  pass  under  the  Yoke,  at  Caudium.  . .    148 

31 8  Phocion  put  to  Death 130 

312  8eleucus,  King  of  Syria  and  Babylon 155 

2tG  The  Library  at  Alexandria  founded 154 

284  The   Sepluagint.  or   Greek  Translation  of  the  Old 

Testament 226 

272  Pyrrhus  killed  by  a  Tile 163 

270  Epicurus,  the  Philosopher,  died 158 

241  End  of  the  First  Punic  War 168 

240  Comedies  first  acted  at  Rome 168 

216  Battle  of  Canns;  Hannibal... 171 

212  Fall  of  Syracuse,  and  Death  of  Archimedes. .....   174 


INDEX.  y 

B.  C.  Page. 

201  End  of  the  Second  Punic  War :  Scipio 173 

183  Death  of  Fhilopoemen,  General  of  the  Achseans..  175 
167  Fall  of  Macedon  :  Perseus  starves  himself  to  Death  178 

146  Fail  of  Carthage  and  Corinth 182 

133  The  Gracchi 183 

106  Jugurtha,  King  of  Numidia,  starved  to  Death 185 

88  Civil  War  between  Marius  and  Sylla 187 

82  Sylla  Perpetual  Dictator l'J2 

63  Catiline's  Conspiracy 1*J3 

60  The  First  Triumvirate U)6 

55  Britain  invaded  by  Caesar 198 

53  Death  of  Crassus 200 

48  Battle  of  Pharsalia 202 

46  Cato  kills  himself,  at  Utica 205 

44  Julius  Csesar  murdered 209 

43  Second  Triumvirate :  Cicero  killed 213 

42  Battle  of  Philippi :  Death  of  Brutus 216 

37  Herod,  King  of  Judiea 220,  227 

31  Battle  of  Actium,  and  Death  of  Mark  Antony 222 

31  Octavius,  Master  of  Rome 223 

5  Jesus  Christ  born,  December  25 224 

A.D. 

14  Tiberius,  Emperor 233 

29  Crucifixion,  Resurrection,  and  Ascension,  of  our 

Lord  aud  Saviour  Jesus  Christ 225,  227 

31  Sejanus  put  to  Death 234 

37  Caligula,  Emperor 236 

41  Claudius,  Emperor 237 

51  Caractacus  carried  to  Rome 239 

54  Nero,  Emperor 241 

61  Queen  Boadicea  conquered  by  the  Romans 244 

65  Seneca  killed  by  Order  of  Nero 242 

69  Otho,  Emperor 247 

69  Vespasian,  Emperor 248 

70  Jerusalem  taken  by  Titus , 249 

79  Herculaneum  and  Pompeii  destroyed 250 

79  Death  of  Pliny 250 

79  Titus,  Emperor 252 

80  Agricola  in  Britain,  Wales,  Scotland 253,  255 

81  Domitian,  Emperor 254 

98  Trajan,  Emperor 257 

109  Plutarch,  the  Biographer 257 

117  Adrian,  Emperor 259 

121  Adrian's  Wall  across  Britain,  built 259 

138  Antoninus  Pius,  Emperor 261 


10  INDEX. 

A.  D.  Page. 

189  The  Saracens  first  mentioned  in  History 266 

195  Byzantium  taken  by  Severus 268 

203  The  Caledonians  converted  to  Christianity  .......  268 

271  Anton}-,  the  first  Hermit 298 

273  Zenobia  defeated  by  Aurelian 273 

283  Fingal,  King  of  Morven,  dies 273 

284  Diocletian,  Emperor 274 

3t6  Constantine  the  Great,  Emperor 276 

325  First  Council  of  ]N"ice,  under  Constantine 277 

326  Death  of  Crispus,  Son  of  Constantine 279 

329  The  Seat  of  Empire  transferred  to  Constantinople.  279 

361  Reign  of  Julian  the  Apostate 281 

378  Theodosius  the  Great,  Emperor. 286 

395  Division  of  the  Empire  into  Eastern  and  Western  288 

400  Alaric  the  Goth  ravages  Italy 289 

404  Fergus  I.  King  of  Scotland 293 

408  Pulcheria,  Empress 292 

410  Alaric  plunders  Rome 290 

420  Pharamond,  first  King  of  the  Franks 293 

426  The  Romans  finally  quit  Britain 294 

439  Carthage  taken  by  the  Vandals  .  . . .  > 295 

444  Attila,  King  of  the  Vandals 296 

447  Attila  ravages  France  and  Germany 297 

449  The  Saxons  settle  in  Britain 301 

452  Venice  founded 303 

476  Rome  taken  by  Odoacer 306 

476  Extinction  of  the  Western  Empire 306 

493  Theodoric  begins  the  Kingdom  of  the  Ostrogoths 

in  Italy  . 307 

496  Clovis  and  his  Franks  become  Christian 309 

496  St.  Patrick  in  Ireland 309 

565  Belisarius  and  Justinian  die 313 

570  Mohammed  born,  at  Mecca 316 

597  St.  Augustine  arrives  in  England 319 

622  Era  of  the  Hej'ra 317 

756  The   Moorish    Kingdom   of    Cordova,   in    Spain, 

founded 317 

774  End  of  the  Lombard  Kingdom  in  Italy 321 

786  Reign  of  the  Calif  Haroun  Alraschid 322 

800  The  Western  Empire  revived  by  Charlemagne  . . .  321 
814  Death  of  Charlemagne 322 


TRUE    STORIES 


CHAPTER   I. 

CREATION   OF    THE  WORLD.    THE   DELUGE. 
BABYLON,  IN  CHALD^A. 

We  have  long  amused  ourselves,  my  dear 
children,  with  tales  of  fiction ;  suppose  we 
now  seek  a  nobler  entertainment  in  the  study 
of  real  characters  and  the  knowledge  of  real 
events.  I  assure  you,  fancy  can  offer  nothing 
more  strange  or  more  interesting  than  may  be 
found  in  history ;  and  our  best  story-tellers 
and  story-writers  are  those  who  speak  from 
knowledge  and  experience. 

You  can  easily  understand  why  true  stories 
must  be  more  affecting  than  fictitious  tales  ; 
why  the  actions  of  real  human  beings  must 
be  more  instructive  than  the  deeds  of  fancied 
heroes  and  heroines.  In  reading  history,  how- 
ever, especially  ancient  history,  we  must  not 
too  hastily  believe  all  that  is  written.  In  the 
lapse  of  years,  the  means  by  which  facts  have 
been  recorded,  such  as  Medals,  Pictures,  Hi- 
eroglyphic Inscriptions,   Statues,   and    Manu- 


12  CREATION    OF    THE    WORLD, 

scripts,  must  have  been  often  lost,  defaced, 
and  altered.  Hence  the  truth  can  scarcely 
be  expected  to  reach  us  pure  and  genuine  ; 
besides,  different  historians  relate  facts  in  dif- 
ferent modes,  and  view  characters  and  events 
in  different  lights :  we  must,  therefore,  receive 
their  records  with  diffidence  and  candor,  and 
be  always  disposed  to  accept  the  kindest  rep- 
resentation of  our  fellow-creatures. 

It  is  absolutely  necessary  to  all  well-edu- 
cated persons,  to  be  acquainted  with  what  is 
generally  known  and  believed  as  the  history 
of  the  various  countries  of  the  world.  Such 
knowledge  enables  us  to  relish  polite  society, 
and  join  in  intelligent  conversation.  It  in- 
structs us,  by  what  has  happened,  to  judge 
Avhat  may  happen ;  it  develops  to  us  the 
powers  and  capacities  of  human  virtue  and 
human  talent ;  and  hence  may  teach  us  what 
we  ought  to  do,  and  what  we  can  do. 

We  \vill  now,  therefore,  take  a  view  of 
events,  in  the  order  in  Avhich  they  occurred ; 
and  of  persons,  in  the  order  in  which  they 
lived. 

The  Bible  gives  us  the  account  of  what 
passed,  and  of  the  people  who  lived,  in  the 
earliest  period  of  history.  There,  also,  you 
will  read  of  the  great  Flood ;  when  deep  water 
covered  all  the  earth,  and  only  Noah  and  his 
family,  and  the  animals  he  took  with  him 
into  the  ark,  were  saved ;  all  the  rest  of  man- 
kind were  drowned. 


THE    DELUGE.       BABYLON.  13 

Well,  this  great  Flood,  or  deluge,  as  it  is 
sometimes  called,  took  place  about  four  thou- 
sand years  ago.  And  even  now,  signs  of  the 
deluge  —  signs  that  the  sea  once  covered 
what  is  now  dry  land  —  are  to  be  found;  for, 
in  some  high  mountains,  far  from  the  ocean, 
the  bones  of  fish  and  marine  animals  are  dis- 
covered ;  so  that  all  sensible  persons  are  sure 
a  flood  really  did  happen. 

Look  into  a  map  of  the  world  for  Asia. 
The  first  men  and  women  of  whom  we  read 
lived  in  Asia ;  and  the  first  city  of  any  conse- 
quence was  the  famous  city  of  Babylon  — 
built  in  Asia. 

Nimrod,  the  great-grandson  of  Noah,  a 
brave  and  clever  man,  fought  many  battles, 
and  became  the  king  of  a  large  country, 
called  Assyria ;  among  many  other  cities,  he 
built  the  beautiful  city  of  Babylon.  After  his 
death,  a  queen,  named  Semiramis,  improved 
and  ornamented  it.  I  will  tell  you  how  Se- 
miramis became  a  queen.  Nimrod  *  had  a  son, 
called  Ninus :  he  also  was  a  great  conqueror, 
and  gained  many  battles ;  at  last,  he  laid  siege 
to  a  city  called  Bactria,  but  found  it  very 
difficult  to  obtain  possession  of  this  place. 
Now,  one  of  his  chief  officers  had  a  wife, 
named  Semiramis  :  she  was  a  woman  of  un- 
common courage,  and  had  as  much  sense  as 
courage  ;  her  parents  were  obscure,  but  I  sup- 
pose she  had  taken  pains  to  improve  herself, 


Rolli 


14  BABYLON.        SEMIRAMIS. 

and  to  make  herself  brave  and  skilful.  Peo- 
ple can  do  more  in  teaching  themselves  than 
any  body  can  do  for  them. 

Semiramis  went  to  the  king,  and  told  him 
how  she  thought  he  might  conquer  the  city 
of  Bactria ;  the  king  did  as  she  advised,  and 
he  soon  gained  it.  Ninus  loved  the  woman 
who  had  shown  him  the  way  to  gain  what  he 
desired  ;  and  when  the  husband  of  Semiramis 
saw  this,  being  afraid  of  the  king's  power,  he 
went  and  killed  himself  When  her  husband 
was  dead,  Ninus  married  Semiramis :  thus  she 
became  a  queen  ;  and  Ninus,  at  his  death,  left 
her  all  the  countries  he  possessed. 

Semiramis  was  so  fond  of  Babylon,  that 
she  almost  built  it  anew,  and  added  some  fine 
palaces  and  temples ;  so  that  it  was  long  cel- 
ebrated for  its  grandeur  and  beauty.  Semir- 
amis was  also  much  admired  for  her  sense 
and  spirit,  and  for  the  clever  manner  in  which 
she  governed  a  great  nation.  She  not  only 
built  cities,  but  she  went  out  with  a  large 
army,  and  fought  amidst  her  soldiers,  and 
obtained  many  victories.  One  day,  when  she 
was  dressing  herself,  word  was  brought  that 
there  was  a  tumult  in  the  city ;  she  ran  out 
instantly,  with  her  hair  half  dressed,  and  never 
thought  of  finishing  her  dressing  till  she  had 
restored  peace  to  her  people. 

Another  time,  when  she  was  marching  a 
great  army  against  a  king  of  India,  as  soon 
as  he  heard  of  her  coming,  he  sent  to  ask  her 


SEMIRAMIS.        EGYPT.  15 

who  she  was,  and  why  she  came  against  him. 
"  Tell  your  master,"  replied  Semiramis,  ''  I 
will  soon  let  him  know  who  I  am."  They 
met,  and  fonght ;  and  the  king  wounded  Se- 
miramis in  two  places  ;  but  he  did  not  kill 
her,  for  she  escaped  with  part  of  her  army,  and 
returned  to  Babylon. 

Soon  after  her  return,  her  son  rebelled 
against  her ;  and  she,  instead  of  punishing 
him,  gave  up  the  throne  to  him,  and,  retiring 
from  court,  passed  the  rest  of  her  life  in  peace 
and  privacy. 

The  Assyrians  always  loved  Semiramis  for 
the  good  she  had  done  for  them.  We  are  told 
that  China,  also  a  vast  country  in  Asia,  was 
well  peopled,  rich,  and  flourishing,  so  far  back 
as  the  reign  of  Semiramis. 

Abraham,  of  whom  you  read  in  the  Bible, 
was  born  in  Ghaldaea,  a  part  of  Assyria,  A.  C. 
1996,  soon  after  the  death  of  this  celebrated 
queen. 


CHAPTER  II. 

EGYPT.    NILE.    PYRAMIDS.    LETTERS.    SESOSTRIS. 

The  second  country  of  which  we  read  is 
Egypt ;  and  here  is  the  map.  Egypt  is  in 
Africa,  in  the  corner  which  joins  it  to  Asia. 


16  PYRAMIDS.       LETTERS.       SESOSTRIS. 

Menes  was  the  first  king  of  Egypt :  he  reigned 
about  160  years  after  Nimrod,  but  before  Se- 
miramis. 

Egypt  is  famous  for  many  things ;  such  as 
the  River  Nile,  which  overflows  its  banks 
once  every  year,  and  with  the  water  carries  a 
rich  earth  over  the  surrounding  land,  that  not 
only  moistens  but  improves  it  ;  so  that,  when 
the  water  retires,  the  ground  is  in  a  fine  state 
for  tilling  and  sowing. 

You  have  heard  of  those  wonderful  build- 
ings, the  Pyramids.  They  are  to  be  seen  at 
this  day  in  Egypt,  and  are  so  old  that  nobody 
can  find  out  when  they  were  raised,  or  for 
what  use  ;  but  it  is  supposed  they  were  meant 
for  sepulchres,  a  kind  of  graves,  for  the  dead. 

In  Egypt,  letters  were  first  invented  by  a 
man  called  Memnon,  more  than  3000  years 
ago ;  from  that  time,  men  have  had  signs  with 
which  to  write  down  what  they  think  and 
what  they  wish  to  remember. 

Egypt  had  also  a  very  great  monarch, 
named  Sesostris,  who  reigned  there  long  and 
happily;  he  was  father  to  Amenophis,  the 
Pharaoh  under  whom  the  Israelites  departed 
out  of  Egypt,  and  who  was  drowned  in  the 
Red  Sea,  when  pursuing  them.  Look  into 
the  map,  and  yoit*Vil]  find  the  Red  Sea  be- 
tween Egypt  and  Canaan,  in  Assyria ;  so  that 
the  shortest  way  for  the  Israelites  to  return 
home  was  by  crossing  it.     I  must  tell  you 


SESOSTRIS.  17 

that  Pharaoh  was  a  royal  title,  common  to  all 
the    kings    who,   in   those  times,   reigned  in 

Egypt. 

The  father  of  Sesostris  was  resolved  to  ed- 
ucate his  son  so  well  that  he  should  become  a 
great  and  good  man.  By  his  orders,  all  the 
children  born  in  Egypt  on  the  same  day  as 
Sesostris  were  brought  to  court,  and  instruct- 
ed with  the  young  prince.  They  were  all 
treated  alike :  by  these  means,  Sesostris  not 
only  made  many  friends,  but  many  clever  boys 
were  educated,  who  proved  able  and  faithful 
ministers  to  him.  The  prince  and  his  com- 
panions were  brought  up  very  hardily  ;  they 
were  never  suffered  to  eat  until  they  had  run 
or  ridden  a  race.  They  were  taught  the  use 
of  arms,  and  were  made  to  bear  hunger  and 
thirst  patiently. 

As  soon  as  they  were  strong  enough,  they 
were  sent  to  fight  the  enemies  of  their 
country.  Whilst  Sesostris  was  absent  on 
such  an  expedition,  his  father  died;  and  then 
he  resolved  to  attempt  the  conquest  of  all  the 
world.  But,  before  he  began  this  great  un- 
dertaking, he  tried  to  secure  the  safety  of  his 
own  country,  by  choosing  sensible  ministers, 
and  by  gaining  the  love  of  his  people. 

He  conquered  many  nations  ;  but,  after  ob- 
taining from  them  whatever  he  thought  most 
useful  for  his  own  country,  he  restored  to 
them  their  freedom.  We  are  told  that  in  sev- 
eral places  he  erected  pillars,  with  hieroglyph 
2* 


IS  SESOSTRIS. 

ic  inscriptions  to  this  effect  upon  them :  ^'  Se-» 
sostris,  king  of  kings,  and  lord  of  lords, 
subdued  this  country  by  the  power  of  his 
arms."  On  his  return  home,  a  wicked  broth- 
er of  his  tried  to  destroy  him,  by  setting  fire 
to  the  palace  in  which  he,  his  wife,  and 
children,  were  sleeping ;  but  they  all  escaped 
the  danger. 

Sesostris  dug  canals,  encouraged  commerce, 
and  in  so  many  ways  benefited  his  subjects, 
that  I  am  sorry  truth  obliges  me  to  inform 
you  of  an  instance  of  his  pride  and  vain- 
glory. He  was  so  puffed  up  with  his  con- 
quests, that,  fancying  himself  more  than  man, 
he  made  the  princes  he  had  vanquished  do 
him  homage,  and  would  go  to  the  temple 
with  those  poor  princes  harnessed  to  his  car 
instead  of  horses.  This  was  shameful ;  but 
he  did  still  worse  ;  for,  when  he  was  old  and 
blind,  he  wickedly  put  an  end  to  his  own  life. 

In  his  reign,  B.  C.  1556,  Cecrops  led  a 
colony  out  of  Egypt,  and  built  the  city  of 
Athens,  of  which  place  I  have  much  to  tell 
you ;  and  the  brother  who  had  sought  his 
death,  afraid  of  the  punishment  he  deserved, 
took  to  flight.  After  many  years'  wandering, 
he  repaired  to  Argos,  and  took  possession  of 
that  city.  About  this  time,  also,  Scamander 
built  Troy,  B.  C.  1546,  soon  after  the  birth  of 
Moses. 


SPARTA.  19 

CHAPTER   III. 

SPARTA.    HELENA.    PARIS.    HOMER. 

Sparta  was  built  soon  after  Athens.  Lelex 
was  its  first  king ;  and  it  had  another,  called 
Lacedasmon,  from  whom  the  state  was  some- 
times called  Lacedasmonia.  The  tenth  king 
of  Sparta,  Tyndarus,  had  a  daughter  named 
Helena,  who  was  so  beautiful  that  every  body 
who  saw  her  admired  her,  and  many  princes 
desired  to  marry  her. 

Tyndarus  knew  not  whom  to  choose  for 
her  husband ;  so  he  made  them  all  take  an 
oath  to  agree  that  the  lady  should  choose  for 
herself.  Helena  fixed  upon  Menelaus ;  they 
were  married,  and  lived  together  happily 
enough. 

It  happened  that  a  very  handsome  prince, 
Paris,  the  son  of  Priam,  king  of  Troy,  trav- 
elling that  way,  chanced  to  see  Helena,  and 
was  so  much  struck  with  her  beauty,  that,  as 
Menelaus  was  gone  from  home,  he  took  the 
opportunity  to  run  away  with  her. 

When  Menelaus  returned,  and  found  he  had 
lost  his  wife,  he  complained  very  loudly,  and 
stirred  up  all  the  cities  of  Greece  to  assist  him 
in  recovering  his  Helena. 

Greece  is  in  Europe,  and  was,  at  that  time, 
full  of  cities,  each  governed  by  its  own  king. 


^  HELENA.       PARIS. 

Troy  was  in  Asia.  At  the  request  of  Mene- 
laus,  all  the  Greeks  united :  it  was  the  first  * 
time  they  had  united ;  and  they  laid  siege  to 
Troy,  where  the  beauteous  Helena  was  living 
with  the  handsome  Paris.  For  ten  long  years 
the  Greek  army  strove  to  regain  her ;  and  at 
the  end  of  that  period  they  took  the  city, 
burned  it  to  the  ground,  and  recovered  Hele- 
na, B.  C.  1184.  It  was  by  a  cunning  contri- 
vance that  the  Greeks  entered  Troy.  They 
made  a  large  wooden  horse,  and  filled  it  with 
armed  soldiers ;  this  horse  they  managed  to 
get  into  the  city  ;  and,  at  night,  when  all  was 
still,  the  men  within  the  hollow  horse  let 
themselves  out,  set  fire  to  Troy,  broke  down 
the  gates,  and  gave  admission  to  the  Grecian 
army,  which  was  all  in  readiness  to  rush  into 
the  town. 

Most  of  this  singular  history  is  told  in  a 
poem  composed  by  Homer,  and  called  the 
Iliad.  You  will  read  it  some  day,  and  see 
how  much  bloodshed  was  caused  by  the 
crimes  and  follies  of  Helena  and  her  lover 
Paris. 

Homer,  who  lived  900  years  before  Christ, 
is  said  to  have  been  a  poor  blind  man,  who 
went  about  from  place  to  place,  singing  his 
verses,  and  making  them  as  he  went  along. 

I  will  tell  you  a  pretty  fable  about  Paris, 
the  lover  of  Helena.  A  fable,  you  know,  is 
a  story  that  is  not  true. 

*  Goldsmith. 


HELENA.        PARIS.  2i 

Peleus,  the  father  of  Achilles,  when  mar- 
ried to  Thetis,  the  mother  of  Achilles,  invited 
all  the  gods  and  goddesses  to  his  wedding,  ex- 
cept the  goddess  of  Discord,  who  was  not 
asked  ;  this  made  her  so  angry,  that,  to  spoil 
tlie  pleasures  of  the  feast,  she  threw  among  the 
guests  a  golden  apple,  with  this  inscription 
upon  it :  "  To  the  fairest."  Each  goddess, 
fancying  herself  the  prettiest,  expected  to  re- 
ceive this  curious  fruit ;  but,  as  all  could  not 
have  it,  Jupiter  decided  that  Juno,  Minerva, 
and  Venus,  should  go  with  Mercury  to  Mount 
Ida,  and  have  the  contest  there  decided. 

Paris,  who,  though  a  prince,  was  also  a 
shepherd,  was  there  tending  his  father's 
flocks  ;  and,  when  desired  to  say  which  of 
these  three  goddesses  was  the  fairest,  after 
some  hesitation,  he  adjudged  the  golden  apple 
to  Yenus.  This  decision  so  offended  the  other 
two  goddesses,  Juno  and  Minerva,  that,  to  pun- 
ish him  and  his  old  father,  Priam,  they  caused 
him  to  see  and  run  away  with  Helena,  and 
then  urged  the  Greek  princes  to  destroy  Troy, 
under  pretence  of  recovering  the  faithless 
princess. 

Almost  all  ancient  history  is  entangled  with 
fable,  and  it  is  now  difficult  to  determine  what 
is  true  and  what  is  not.  But  you  may  be 
always  sure  that  is  false  which  describes  gods 
and  goddesses ;  there  is  but  One  God,  the 
Lord  of  heaven  and  earth. 


22  LYCURGUSj 

CHAPTER   lY. 

I 

LYCURGUS,  AND  HIS   LAWS. 

For  many  years.  Sparta  was  governed  by  a 
single  king  ;  afterwards,  two  reigned  together. 
One  of  these  kings  left  two  sons,  Polydectes 
and  Lycurgns.  Polydectes  died,  and  then 
Lycurgus  might  have  been  king,  for  the 
widow  of  Polydectes  offered  to  kill  the  only 
son  of  that  prince  as  soon  as  it  was  born,  if 
he  would  promise  "to  marry  her. 

But  Lycurgus,  disdaining  so  dishonorable  a 
proposal,  and  wishing  to  save  the  child,  de- 
sired she  would  send  it  to  him,  that  he  might 
dispose  of  'i.  Accordingly,  the  boy,  as  soon 
as  he  was  born,  was  sent  to  his  uncle.  Ly- 
curgus was  at  supper  with  a  large  party,  when 
the  babe  arrived  :  but  he  instantly  took  it  into 
his  arms,  and.  holding  it  to  the  view  of  his 
company,  exclaimed,  '•'  Spartans,  behold  your 
king  !  "  As  all  the  people  were  delighted  to 
see  the  son  of  their  deceased  monarch,  Ly- 
curgus named  the  boy  Charilaus,  which,  I 
believe,  signifies  '-'the  joy  of  the  people."' 

Lycurgus  now  governed  the  kingdom  until 
the  prince  should  be  old  enough  to  govern  for 
himself;  but  he  found  the  nation  so  full  of 
folly  and  vice,  that  he  resolved  to  travel  into 


AND    HIS    LAWS.  23 

Other  countries,  and  discover  the  best  means 
of  government. 

In  his  travels,  he  met  with  the  poems  of 
Homer ;  he  collected  these  with  great  care, 
and  took  them  with  him  when  he  returned  to 
Sparta,  to  which  place  he  was  soon  recalled 
by  the  people.  Things  were  now  much  worse 
in  this  city  than  when  he  left  it ;  and  he  re- 
solved to  set  about  a  reformation  of  the  man- 
ners of  the  people.  Charilans  at  first  opposed 
his  plans,  but  he  had  sense  enough  to  find 
they  were  good,  and  then  he  cheerfully  for- 
warded them. 

Lycurgus  began  his  labors  by  instituting  a 
senate,  that  is,  an  assembly  of  the  best  and 
wisest  men,  to  make  laws,  and, see  that  they 
were  obeyed ;  this  senate  was  composed  of 
thirty  members,  the  two  kings  being  of  the 
number.  He  next  made  an  equal  division  of 
all  the  land,  so  that  all  the  Spartans  shared  it 
fairly  among  them.  When  he  tried  to  do  the 
same  with  the  movables,  the  furniture,  clothes, 
(fcc,  he  found  the  rich,  who  possessed  a  great 
deal,  very  averse  to  his  proposals ;  so  he 
went  another  way  to  work.  He  took  away 
the  value  of  gold  and  silver,  by  ordering  the 
money  in  future  to  be  made  of  iron.  As  this 
iron  money  was  despised  by  all  the  neighbor- 
ing countries,  the  Spartans  could  no  longer 
buy  foreign  showy  articles,  so  that  luxury  was 
at  once  banished  from  among  them.  The 
workmen,  also,  not  being  employed  in  making 


24  LFCURGUS, 

useless  finery,  had  more  time  to  give  to  useful 
articles,  so  that  the  conveniences  of  life  (the 
things  that  are  necessary)  were  very  neatly 
and  completely  made  and  finished. 

He  then  commanded  that  all  persons  should 
eat  at  public  tables,  and  that  those  tables 
should  be  served  with  plain  food.  This  reg- 
ulation vexed  the  rich  Spartans  more  than 
any  other,  so  much  were  they  devoted  to  eat- 
ing and  drinking.  They  rose  in  a  body  and 
assaulted  Lycurgus;  and  one  of  them  cruelly 
struck  out  his  eye  with  a  stick.  Lycurgus 
no  otherwise  punished  this  ofi'ender,  Alcander, 
than  by  ordering  him  to  become  his  page  and 
attendant.  Alcander,  having  a  good  heart,  was 
so  touched  by  this  mildness,  that  he  resolved 
to  be  more  orderly,  and  learned  in  future  to 
govern  his  passions.  In  time,  these  public 
dinners  came  to  be  much  relished,  and  very 
pleasant  discourse  often  enlivened  them. 

I  never  can  enough  admire  one  part  of  the 
ceremony  observed  at  them.  When  the  com- 
pany were  assembled,  the  oldest  man  present, 
pointing  to  the  door,  said,  ''Not  one  word 
spoken  here  goes  out  there."  This  wise  rule 
produced  mutual  confidence,  and  prevented  all 
scandal,  misrepresentation,  and  foolish  or  ill- 
natured  prating. 

You  will  laugh  when  I  tell  you,  that,  at 
these  public  dinners,  they  served  up  a  kind  of 
soup  called  black  broth,  which  the  Spartans 
enjoyed  very  much,  but  which  the  people  of 


AND    HIS    LAWS.  25 

Other  countries  thought  sad  stuff.  The  truth 
was,  the  Spartans  were  healthy,  and  had  good 
appetites,  so  that  any  food  was  acceptable  to 
them. 

When  you  are  hungry,  you  know,  you  can 
relish  the  plainest  viands,  just  as  they  did  their 
black  broth. 

The  children  were  taught  in  large  public 
schools,  and  were  made  brave  and  hardy ;  all 
the  people  were  accustomed  to  speak  in  short, 
pithy  sentences,  so  that  that  style  of  speaking 
is  even  now  called  after  them  —  laconic ;  La- 
conia  being  one  of  the  names  of  Lacedse- 
monia. 

I  could  tell  you  much  more  of  this  warlike 
people,  but  you  will  read  of  them  in  other  and 
better  books,  when  you  are  older ;  so  I  will 
only  add  that,  when  Lycurgus  had  firmly 
established  his  new  laws,  he  took  a  curious 
mode  of  insuring  their  continued  observance. 
He  left  Sparta,  after  having  made  the  people 
solemnly  swear,  that  they  would  abide  by  his 
laws  until  he  should  return.  As  he  intended 
not  to  return,  this  was  making  them  swear 
they  would  keep  his  laws  forever. 

Lycurgus  died  in  a  foreign  land.  Some 
say  he  killed  himself;  but  I  hope  he  was  not 
so  Avicked.  His  death  happened  when  Solo- 
mon had  been  dead  100  years,  about  the  S74th 
year  before  Christ. 

The  Helots,  of  whom  you  will  read  in  the 
history  of  Sparta,  were  a  people  conquered  by 
3  ' 


26  CARTHAGE.        DIDO. 

the  Spartans,  and  not  only  deprived  of  their 
liberty  and  made  slaves,  but  often  otherwise 
cruelly  used. 


CHAPTER   V. 

CARTHAGE.    DIDO.    iENEAS. 

I  HAVE  now  to  inform  you  of  the  origin  of 
the  magnificent  city  of  Carthage,  in  Africa. 
It  is  said  to  have  been  built  before  the  Trojan 
war  ;  but  if  so,  it  was  certainly  much  enlarged 
and  improved  by  Clueen  Dido. 

About  the  time  that  Lycurgus  died,  Dido, 
or  Elissa,  (as  she  is  sometimes  called,)  being 
]  rovoked  at  the  tyranny  of  her  brother  Pyg- 
malion, (v/ho  had  murdered  her  husband 
Sichsgus,)  fled  with  a  party  from  Tyre,  in 
Asia,  and  settled  on  the  coast  of  Africa. 
There  she  bargained  for  the  purchase  of  as 
much  land  as  the  hide  of  an  ox  could  enclose  ; 
then  very  artfully  cutting  the  hide,  or  skin, 
into  narrow  strips,  she  claimed  as  much 
ground  as  those  strips  would  surround. 

Virgil  has  written  a  charming  poem,  the 
JE7ieid,  Avhich  gives  a  very  interesting  narra- 
tive of  Dido,  and,  as  it  may  have  been  founded 
on  facts,*  I  will  tell  you  his  story. 

You  remember  that  Troy  was  taken,  after 

*  Gibbon. 


DIDO.        «NEAS.        CARTHAGE. 


27 


ten  years'  siege,  by  the  Greeks.  Among  the 
Trojans  who  escaped  that  bloody  day,  was  a 
prince,  ^neas,  who,  with  his  father  Anchises, 
his  son  A  scan  i  us,  and  a  few  followers,  fled 
by  sea  from  the  ruins  of  Troy. 

iEneas  and  his  little  party  were  long  driven 
about  by  contrary  winds  ;  and  at  last  a  tem- 
pest threw  them  on  the  coast  of  Africa,  near 
the  city  of  Carthage.  Dido  received  them 
with  great  kindness ;  gave  them  food  and 
clothing,  and  behaved  so  compassionately, 
that  jEneas  fell  in  love  with  her.  He  soon 
gained  the  affections  of  the  queen,  and  they 
lived  very  happily  together  for  many  months; 
but  at  last  ^neas  either  became  tired  of  her, 
or  his  conscience  accused  him  of  spending  an 
idle  and  useless  life. 

In  spite  of  the  prayers  and  tears  of  the  ten- 
der and  faithful  Dido,  who  had  done  so  much 
for  him  and  his  followers  ;  who  had  refused, 
for  his  sake,  to  marry  a  great  king,  and  thus 
drawn  upon  herself  the  fury  of  that  king,  — 
^neas  hoisted  his  sails,  and  hastened  far  from 
Carthage.  Dido,  broken-hearted  at  his  ingrat- 
itude and  desertion,  resolved  to  die,  according 
to  the  barbarous  usage  of  those  days,  when 
true  religion  was  unknown  ;  she  raised  a  high 
pile  of  wood,  and,  mounting  upon  it,  stabbed 
herself,  and  was  burned  to  ashes  with  the 
wood  on  which  she  had  laid  herself. 

Carthage  was  long  celebrated  for  its  com 
merce  and  wealth  ;  and  hereafter  I  shall  have 


28  THE    OLYMPIADS. 

to  inform  you  of  some  great  men,  who  fought 
her  battles  and  enlarged  her  power.  This 
city  measured  twenty-three  miles  in  circum- 
ference. It  had  a  noble  park  and  fine  fortress  ; 
altogether,  it  was  one  of  the  finest  cities  that 
was  ever  erected ;  though,  at  present,  the  spot 
on  which  it  stood  is  scarcely  known.  So,  the 
period  may  come  when  ruins  alone  shall  mark 
the  spot  where  London,  the  metropolis  of 
England,  —  London,  still  more  celebrated  than 
Carthage  for  riches  and  commerce,  —  now 
proudly  stands. 


CHAPTER  VL 

THE  OLYMPIADS. 

There  are  many  ways  of  measuring  time  : 
we  say  such  an  event  occurred  in  such  a  year 
of   the   world.   Anno  Mundi ;    marked   thus, 

A.  M. :  that  is,  when  the  world  was  so  many 
years  old. 

Or,   we    say,   it    happened    Before    Christy 

B.  C,  or  A7ite  Christum^  A.  C.  ;  that  is,  so 
many  years  before  Christ  was  born. 

Or,  we  say,  a  circumstance  came  to  pass  in 
such  a  year  of  such  an  Olympiad ;  you  shall 
hear  what  is  meant  by  this  last  exijression. 

Every  four  years,  at  Olympia,  or  Pisa,  both 
towns  of  Greece,  certain  public  games  were 


THE    OLYMPIADS.  29 

celebrated  in  honor  of  the  heathen  god  Jupi- 
ter. Tliese  games  consisted  of  chariot  races, 
horse  races,  wrestling,  tin-owing  the  disc  or 
coit,  and  boxing  with  the  cestus ;  the  cestus 
was  a  gauntlet,  or  glove,  made  of  an  ox-hide. 
One  of  the  wrestlers  being  once  entangled  by 
his  dress,  the  men  from  that  time  wrestled 
naked,  with  their  bodies  greased,  or  oiled,  to 
prevent  their  being  held  firmly  by  their  an- 
tagonists. The  reward  of  the  victor  was  a 
simple  wreath  of  the  wild  olive ;  hence  it 
seems  they  fought  for  glory,  not  for  riches. 
The  conquerors  were  talked  of  all  over  Greece 
and  the  neighboring  states,  so  that  young  men 
flocked  from  all  parts  to  contend  at  these 
games  ;  and,  as  they  caused  the  candidates  to 
practise  manly  exercises,  and  thence  to  become 
robust  and  daring,  these  games  were  very  con- 
siderable. 

Women  were  not  allowed  to  be  present : 
indeed,  few  would  have  desired  it.  There 
was  once  a  female,  who,  wishing  to  see  her 
two  sons  perform,  put  on  man's  attire,  and 
mixed  with  the  crowd.  It  happened  that  her 
sons  were  declared  to  be  the  victors ;  and 
when  she  heard  this,  the  joy  of  the  mother 
overmatched  the  prudence  of  the  woman 
She  ran  from  her  place,  jumped  over  the 
cord  that  was  fixed  to  keep  back  the  specta- 
tors, and,  throwing  ofi*her  manly  robe,  declared 
her  sex.  The  people  were  amazed ;  but,  in 
consideration  of  the  merit  of  her  sons,  the 
fault  of  the  mother  ^vas  pardoned. 
3* 


30  ROME. 

From  that  time,  however,  a  stricter  vigilance 
was  used  to  prevent  the  entrance  of  females. 

The  Olympic  Games  were  first  instituted 
about  1453  A.  0. ;  but  having  fallen  into  dis- 
use, they  were  restored  by  Pelops,  1307  A.  C. 

But  the  Olympiads,  from  which  history  is 
sometimes  reckoned,  were  established  776 
A.  C. ;  an  epocha  you  must  be  careful  to  re- 
member, not  only  as  the  period  from  which 
ancient  history  is  generally  dated,  but  because 
it  is  very  near  the  time  when  the  far-famed 
city  of  Rome  was  built. 


CHAPTER   VIL 

ROME 

There  are  many  accounts  of  the  first  build- 
mg  of  Rome ;  the  most  generally  accepted  I 
will  give  you ;  but  you  will  find,  though  very 
entertaining,  it  is  by  no  means  certain. 

I  told  you  that,  after  the  sacking  of  Troy, 
^neas  fled  to  Carthage,  and,  after  staying 
there  some  time,  deserted  Queen  Dido,  and 
sailed  away.  After  many  adventures,  he 
landed  with  his  little  party  on  the  coast  of 
Italy,  in  Europe.  There  he  married,  and 
built  a  city,  and  reigned  in  it,  and  his  sons 
after  him. 


ROME. 


31 


Numitor,  a  descendant  of  his,  the  fifteenth 
king  from  ^neas,  many  years  after  his  death, 
was  deposed  (that  is,  removed  from  his 
throne)  by  his  brother  AmuUus ;  his  son  was 
killed ;  and  his  daughter  Rhea  Silvia  was 
obliged  to  become  a  vestal  virgin,  that  she 
might  not  marry  and  have  children. 

Rhea,  however,  happened  to  have  twin 
sons  ;  and  as  soon  as  Amulius  heard  of  their 
birth,  he  ordered  Rhea  to  be  buried  alive,  and 
her  children  to  be  thrown  into  the  River 
Tiber. 


The  poor  babes  were  put  into  a  basket  ac- 
cordingly, and  placed  by  the  water,  that, 
when  the  river  rose,  it  might  carry  tliem 
away  and  drown  them.  However,  the  in- 
fants were  so  light,  that  the  basket  floated. 


32 


ROME. 


and  the  children  were  saved.  —  Some  say  a 
wolf  suckled  them  —  an  almost  incredible 
thing  ;  for  wolves,  you  know,  are  remarkably 
fierce  and  bloodthirsty.  Other  writers  relate, 
that  the  woman  who  preserved  and  nursed 
them  was  called  Lupa ;  and,  as  Lupa  is  the 
Latin  word  for  she  ivolf.  this  caused  the  mis- 
take. 

Be  that  as  it  may,  the  two  boys  throve, 
and  grew  strong  and  bold.  They  were  called 
Romulus  and  Remus  :  became  shepherds,  and 
were  fond  of  hunting  the  wild  beasts.  At 
last,  they  were  told  of  their  high  birth,  and 
that,  in  right  of  their  mother,  they  ought  to 
be  kings  of  the  country.  They  therefore 
collected  their  friends,  fought  against  their 
wicked  uncle,  and  killed  him  :  so  that  then 
their  old  grandfather  Numitor  came  again  to 
his  throne.  After  forty-two  years'  exile,  to 
be  sure,  he  Avould  be  happ}^  to  return  to  his 
crown  ;  and  he  would  be  proud  to  owe  it  to 
the  bravery  of  his  grandsons. 

Romulus  and  Remus  persuaded  him  to 
build  a  new  city.  Cities  in  those  days  were 
not  what  they  are  now ;  I  suppose,  a  few, 
low-built  houses,  with  mud  walls,  erected  near 
each  other,  were  thought  a  very  fine  city  ;  for 
Europe  was  then  as  barbarous  as  some  part  of 
America  is  now. 

These  young  men  had  nearly  quarrelled  m 
deciding  where  this  city  should  stand  :  but 
Numitor  advised  them  to  watch  the  flight  of 


ROME. 


33 


birds  —  a  custom  common  in  that  age,  when 
any  debated  point  was  to  be  settled.  They 
took  their  stations  on  different  hills.  Remus 
saw  six  vultures  ;  Romulus  twice  as  many. 
Remus  said  he  was  victorious,  because  the 
birds  first  appeared  to  him ;  Romulus  insisted 
that,  as  he  had  seen  the  greater  number,  he 
was  the  conqueror. 

From  words  they  came  to  blows ;  and,  I 
am  sorry  to  tell  you,  Remus  was  killed  by  his 
brother.*  Romulus  now  became  sole  master  ; 
and  at  eighteen  years  of  age,  laid  the  founda- 
tion of  a  city  which  was  to  give  laws  to  all 
the  world. 

It  was  named  Rome  after  him,  was  built  in 
a  square  form,  and  contained  one  thousand 
houses.  Some  of  the  laws  he  made  were 
excellent.  He  had  a  senate,  of  one  hundred 
men,  to  assist  him  to  govern.  They  were 
called  Patricians,  from  patres,  the  Latin  for 
fathers ;  and  the  common  people  were  called 
Plebeians,  from  plebes,  the  commonalty. 

They  had  priests  to  perform  religious  cere- 
monies ;  for  you  will  observe,  as  you  read 
history,  that  the  most  rude  and  ignorant  na- 
tions worship  God,  in  some  form  or  other, 
''believe  in  Him,  fear  Him,  love  Him." 

The  Romans  had  also  an  army,  composed 
of  horse  and  foot  soldiers  ;  and  great  numbers 
of  men  flocked  to  them  from  the  little  tov\rns 

*  Livy. 


34 


THE     SABINES. 


near  Rome  :  thus  every  day  the  city  increased 
in  power  and  extent. 

About  the  time  that  Rome  was  founded, 
B.  C.  753,  Sparta  changed  its  form  of  gov- 
ernment, and,  instead  of  thirty  senators;  liad 
only  five  magistrates,  called  Ephori. 


CHAPTER   YIII. 

THE   SABINES. 

I  DO  not  know  how  it  happened  that  Rome 
was  in  want  of  women  ;  either  they  had  not 
any,  or  they  had  too  few.  So  Romulus  sent 
to  the  neighboring  cities,  to  ask  permission 
for  his  people  to  marry  their  young  virgins. 
These  cities,  however,  scornfully  refused  the 
proposal ;  so  Romulus  determined  to  gain  by 
cunning  what  he  could  not  obtain  by  fair  and 
honorable  means.  He  therefore  gave  notice 
that,  on  a  certain  day,  there  would  be  public 
games,  and  shows,  and  feasts,  in  his  city  of 
Rome.  Then  the  proud  inhabitants  of  the 
adjacent  towns  came  in  crowds  to  see  the 
sights  and  partake  of  the  festivities.  Among 
the  rest,  it  is  said  that  all  the  nation  of  Sa- 
bines,  men,  women,  and  children,  visited 
Rome.  In  the  m.idst  of  the  shows,  at  a  cer- 
tain signal  given,  the  young  Romans  rushed 
upon   the  strangers,  and  ran  away  with   the 


THE    SABINES.  35 

fairest  maidens,  each  taking  the  one  he  Hked 
best,  and  making  her  his  wife. 

The  parents  of  the  young  girls,  you  may  be 
sure,  were  very  angry,  but,  in  the  confusion, 
could  not  find  out  their  children  ;  so  they  left 
the  city,  vowing  vengeance  on  the  perfidious 
Romans ;  and,  indeed,  this  was  a  breach  of 
hospitality  that  no  necessity  could  justify. 

A  war  ensued,  and  the  Sabines  gained  some 
advantages,  as  also  did  the  Romans.  At  last 
the  two  armies  met,  each  resolved  to  conquer 
or  die.  Just  before  the  battle  began,  the  wo- 
men, who  had  been  the  innocent  cause  of  this 
animosity,  with  their  hair  dishevelled,  and 
their  garments  torn,  rushed  in  between  the 
contending  troops:  some  tried  to  soften  their 
husbands ;  others  strove  to  melt  the  hearts  of 
their  fathers  and  brothers.  They  wept,  en- 
treated, caressed; — declared  themselves  to  be 
very  kindly  treated  by  their  husbands,  and 
prayed  that  peace  might  be  established  be- 
tween relatives  so  near  and  dear.  Their 
prayers  were  granted.  The  Sabines  consent- 
ed to  forgive  the  Romans,  and  the  Romans 
were  willing  to  be  reconciled  to  the  justly 
offended  Sabines.  To  obtain  and  preserve 
concord  is  woman's  true  province. 

Peace  and  confidence  were  restored,  and  the 
nations  lived  in  mutual  love  and  harmony  for 
many  years. 

After  having  brought  his  city  into  a  state 
of  great   power  and  comfort,   Romulus  died. 


36  NUMA.       ATHENS. 

and  was  succeeded  by  Numa  Pompilius,  a  Sa- 
bine, the  second  king  of  Rome.  It  has  been 
said  that  Romulus  was  killed  ;  and  it  has  also 
been  said  that  he  was  taken  up  alive  to  heaven. 

Leaving  these  marvels,  I  shall  have  more 
pleasure  in  telling  you  of  Numa.  He  was  a 
wise  and  virtuous  man,  living  contentedly  in 
privacy.  When  the  throne  was  offered  to 
him,  he  wished  to  decline  it ;  and  it  was  not 
until  his  friends  had  repeatedly  urged  him  to 
accept  it,  that  he  gave  up  his  own  wishes  to 
theirs,  and,  for  the  public  good,  consented  to 
be  made  king  of  Rome. 

He  proved  as  excellent  a  monarch  as  he  had 
been  a  simple  citizen,  and  reigned  forty-three 
years  in  profound  peace,  doing  every  thing 
possible  for  the  improvement  of  Rome  and 
the  advantage  of  its  inhabitants. 

It  was  in  the  time  of  Romulus,  about  B.  C. 
732,  that  a  colony  from  Corinth,  a  city  in 
Greece,  passed  over  to  the  island  of  Sicily, 
and  laid  the  foundati-ons  of  Syracuse. 


CHAPTER   IX. 

ATHENS.    THESEUS. 


Athens  was  the  most  famous  city  in  Greece. 
I  have  already  told  you  that  Cecrops,  with  a 


ATHENS.       THESEUS.  37 

colony  from  Egypt,  built  it  a  few  years  before 
Sparta  was  founded. 

You  must  know,  Greece  is  a  large  tract  of 
country  in  the  eastern  corner  of  Europe  ;  and 
formerly  it  was  covered  with  cities,  each  of 
which  had  its  territory.  Of  some  of  these 
cities  you  have  already  heard  :  Sparta  was  one 
of  them,  Corinth  another,  Argos  another,  and 
Athens,  perhaps  the  most  celebrated  of  them 
all.  The  country  belonging  to  Athens  was 
called  Attica. 

Theseus  was  the  most  renowned  of  its 
kings;  he  reigned  there  before  the  Trojan 
war,  and  was  the  son  of  iEgeus. 

When  he  was  young,  it  was  a ,  custom  in 
Athens  to  send  seven  youths  and  seven  maid- 
ens to  Minos,  king  of  Crete,  as  a  kind  of  trib- 
ute ;  and  it  is  said  he  put  those  victims  into  a 
place  called  a  labyrinth,  to  be  devoured  by 
the  Minotaur,  a  strange  monster,  partaking  of 
the  form  of  a  man  and  a  bull. 

This  was  done  once  every  ten  years.  When 
the  time  of  the  third  tribute  came,  and  the 
poor  young  people  were  going  to  be  chosen 
by  lot.  Prince  Theseus  came  forward,  and  vol- 
untarily offered  himself  for  one  of  the  victims, 
without  taking  his  chance.  You  may  suppose 
the  old  king,  his  father,  did  not  approve  of  this 
self-devotion,  though  at  last  he  consented  to 
it.  The  ship  that  took  out  these  hapless 
creatures  had  a  black  sail,  as  an  emblem,  or 
sign,  of  its  melancholy  office;  but  Theseus 
4 


38  ARIADNE.        THESEUS. 

persuaded  ^Egeus  to  give  them  a  white  sail 
likewise  ;  and  he  promised,  if  he  escaped  the 
monster,  and  returned  in  safety,  to  hoist  the 
white  sail  instead  of  the  usual  black  one. 

When  he  arrived  at  Crete,  a  young  vir^n, 
named  Ariadne,  fell  in  love  with  him,  and 
gave  him  a  clew  of  thread,  with  the  help  of 
which  he  could  find  his  way  out  of  the  laby- 
rinth. He  therefore  boldly  entered  it,  killed 
the  Minotaur,  and  then,  guiding  himself  by 
the  thread,  came  safely  forth,  and,  with  Ari- 
adne and  the  young  victims  he  had  rescued, 
set  sail  for  Athens. 

When  they  drew  near  to  Attica,  they  were 
ail  in  such  raptures  of  joy,  that  they  quite 
forgot  to  hoist  the  white  sail :  so  vEgeus,  who 
was  anxiously  watching  for  the  ship,  concluded 
that  his  beloved  son  was  dead,  and,  throAving 
himself  from  the  rocks,  was  instantly  dashed 
to  pieces.  Two  great  faults  caused  this  sad 
calamity :  Theseus  had  broken  a  promise  sol- 
emnly given,  and  ^geus  was  too  impatient 
mider  trial. 

The  gratitude  of  the  people  for  being  res- 
cued from  so  dreadful  a  custom,  did  not  com- 
pensate to  the  brave  son  for  the  death  of  his 
affectionate  father. 

Theseus  fought  many  battles  with  a  race 
of  women  called  Amazonians.  Surprising  sto- 
ries are  told  of  the  courage  of  these  valiant 
females  ;  but  of  what  is  related  of  those  dark 
times  so  little  can  be  depended  upon,  that  I  do 


CODRUS.  39 

not  wish  to  say  much  of  what  is  so  strange 
and  incredible.  I  suppose,  however,  there 
was  a  race  of  women  singular  for  their  cour- 
age and  strength,  as  that  is  very  possible. 

ifrter  Theseus,  many  kings  reigned  in  Ath- 
ens :  the  last  of  them,  Codrns,  deserves  to 
be  remembered.  He  was  told  that  Athens 
would  not  flourish  until  its  monarch  should 
die  by  the  hand  of  an  enemy ;  he  directly 
went  in  disguise  into  the  enemy's  camp,  and 
picked  a  quarrel  with  one  of  the  soldiers,  on 
purpose  to  rouse  him  to  kill  him,  which  the 
man  soon  did. 

It  is  truly  brave  to  die  in  the  hope  of  ben- 
efiting our  country.  Codrus  so  died.  Saul 
was  then  king  of  Israel. 

After  this  gallant  action,  Athens  was  gov- 
erned by  a  magistrate,  called  an  archon  ;  and 
Medon,  the  son  of  Codrus,  was  the  first  archon. 

Medon  and  a  few  of  his  immediate  follow- 
ers were  archons  during  life.  Afterwards,  this 
magistrate  governed'  only  ten  years  ;  and  last- 
ly, he  was  chosen  annually.  We  have  now 
brought  the  history  of  Athens  from  its  build- 
ing, B.  C.  1556,  to  the  time  of  the  foundation 
of  Rome,  B.  C.  753. 


40  COMBAT    BETWEEN 

CHAPTER    X. 

COMBAT  BETWEEN   THE   HORATII  AND  CURIAfll. 

The  Romans  were  always  trying,  by  every 
means  in  their  power,  by  force  of  arms  or  art- 
ful schemes,  to  extend  their  dominion.  Their 
king,  Tiillus  Hostilius,  under  pretence  that 
the  peasants  of  the  nation  of  Alba  had  plun- 
dered his  subjects,  sent  ambassadors  to  demand 
restitution  of  the  goods  they  had  taken  away. 
He  knew  that  the  Albans  would  refuse  satis- 
faction, because  the  Romans  had  also  robbed 
them  ;  and  it  turned  out  as  he  expected.  War 
was  therefore  declared  between  the  two  na- 
tions. 

When  the  opposing  armies  met,  the  general 
of  the  Albans,  Mitius,  averse  to  the  shedding 
of  so  much  blood,  proposed  that  some  other 
method  of  settling  the  dispute  should  be 
chosen. 

It  happened  that  in  each  army  there  were 
three  brothers  born  at  a  birth.  Those  on  the 
Roman  side  were  called  Horatii,  and  those  on 
the  Alban  side,  Curiatii.  The  kings  proposed 
to  these  young  men  to  fight,  each  for  his  own 
country  ;  and  whoever  conquered,  should  be 
deemed  to  have  obtained  the  victory  for  his 
nation. 


THE    HORATII    AND    CURIATII.  41 

A  treaty  to  this  eflfect  was  signed,  and  it 
was  solemnly  resolved,  ^^  That  the  nation, 
whose  champions  should  come  off  conquerors 
in  the  combat,  should  reign  peaceably  over  the 
other." 

By  the  by,  this  is  the  most  ancient  treaty 
recorded  in  history.  The  armies  were  placed 
in  due  order ;  the  brothers  took  their  arms  ; 
their  hearts,  no  doubt,  beating  high  with  the 
hope  of  victory,  and  happy  in  the  assurance 
that,  at  all  events,  their  prowess  would  save 
the  lives  of  hundreds  of  their  fellow-creatures. 
That  is  the  only  true  courage,  which  risks 
personal  danger  in  the  expectation  and  inten- 
tion of  obtaining  good  to  our  country  and  our 
fellow-creatures. 

Boldly  these  gallant  young  heroes  stood  be- 
fore their  own  armies,  and  heard  the  prayers 
of  their  fellow-soldiers  for  their  success. 

The  signal  was  given.  The  youths  rushed 
forward  to  the  encounter.  Presently  they 
were  engaged  hand  to  hand,  and,  in  the  des- 
perate conflict,  felt  not  the  wounds  they  re- 
ceived, although  the  spectators,  with  aching 
hearts,  saw  them  soon  covered  with  blood. 
But  the  glorious  spirit  of  patriotism  prtwented 
the  heroes  from  feeling  pain  ;  they  were  insen- 
sible to  every  thing  but  honor. 

The  three  Albans  were  desperately  wound- 
ed, and  loud  shouts  ran  along  the  Roman 
army.  In  a  few  seconds,  two  of  the  Romans 
4* 


42  COMBAT    BETWEEr? 

fell,  and  expired.  The  acclamations  were 
now  heard  among  the  Albans :  such  is  the 
fate  of  war. 

The  surviving  Roman  saw  that  all  depend- 
ed upon  him  ;  it  was  an  awful  moment.  But 
he  did  not  despair ;  he  manfully  roused  his 
spirits  to  meet  the  exigence  of  the  hour.  He 
saw  that  force  could  not  avail,  for  three  to 
one  were  fearful  odds ;  but  he  had  presence 
of  mind  enough  to  think  upon  what  was  best 
to  be  done.  How  valuable  is  presence  of 
mind  ! 

Horatius  drew  back,  as  if  fleeing  from  his 
enemies.  I  suppose  you  will  cry  out,  as  the 
Roman  army  did,  "  Shame  !  Shame  !  "  But 
Horatius  was  too  brave  to  trouble  himself 
about  what  was  said ;  he  was  only  thinking 
of  what  was  to  be  done. 

The  Curiatii  pursued  the  retreating  hero, 
and,  as  Horatius  expected,  one  came  up  be- 
fore the  others :   this  was  what  he  wanted. 

When  the  Roman  hero  found  one  of  the 
Albans  near  him,  he  turned  about,  and,  ex- 
erting all  his  skill  and  bravery,  he  soon  laid 
him  dead  at  his  feet.  By  this  time  another 
of  th^  brothers  had  arrived ;  him,  too,  Hora- 
tius quickly  despatched.  Only  one  remained 
on  each  side. 

The  hisses  of  the  Romans  were  turned  into 
cheerings.  But  what  was  their  joy,  when 
they  saw  the  last  of  the  Curiatii  stretched 


THE    HORATII    AND    CURIATII.  43 

lifeless  on  the  ground !  Can  you  not  imagine 
the  joy  of  the  victor  when  he  returned  trium- 
phant to  his  friends  ? 

What  followed,  it  is  painful  to  relate. 
When  Horatius  reached  Rome,  he  saw  his 
sister  bitterly  lamenting  the  death  of  the 
Curiatii,  one  of  whom  she  was  engaged 
to  marry ;  and,  in  the  dreadful  moment  of 
ungoverned  rage,  he  killed  her  on  the  spot. 
Alas !  to  what  crimes  does  not  passion  lead ! 

Horatius  was  condemned  to  die.  His  aged 
father  implored  the  judges  to  show  some  mer- 
cy to  his  son  ;  that  son,  whose  valor  had  late- 
ly  obtained  for  Rome  the  dominion  of  a  new 
state,  whose  valor  had  saved  the  lives  of 
many  Romans  ;  that  son,  whom  •  he  himself 
would  have  punished,  had  he  overlooked  the 
conduct  of  his  weak,  complaining  sister. 

The  people  could  not  withstand  the  tears 
and  pleadings  of  the  old  father.  The  life 
of  Horatius  was  spared.  But,  no  doubt,  he 
deeply  lamented  that  his  rash  anger  had  made 
him  tarnish  the  honors  he  had  so  dearly  pur- 
chased. 

A  little  before  this  interesting  combat  took 
place  in  Italy,  Holofernes,  the  Assyrian  gen- 
eral, was  killed  by  Judith,  as  related  in  the 
book  which  bears  her  name. 


M  ATHENS.       DRACO. 

CHAPTER    XI. 

ATHENS.  DRACO.  SOLON. 

The  Athenians  wished  much  to  have  writ- 
ten laws ;  that  they  might  more  steadily  gov- 
ern, and  more  readily  know  what  to  obey. 
They  therefore  desired  Draco,  a  wise  and 
honest,  but  a  very  stern  man,  to  write  out  a 
set  of  rules  for  them. 

Draco  did  so ;  and  these  were  the  first 
written  laws  which  history  records.  But 
they  were  most  severe';  very  trifling  ofli'ences 
being  punished  with  death,  "because,"  said 
Draco,  "small  crimes  deserve  death,  and  I 
have  no  higher  punishment  for  the  greatest 
transgressions." 

This  was  a  strange  way  of  talking  ;  and 
Draco  certainly  showed  neither  mercy  nor 
wisdom  by  such  a  remark.  Laws  are  to 
prevent  crimes  as  well  as  to  punish  them. 
A  person  chastised  moderately  for  a  small 
oflfence  may  be  cured  of  his  wickedness,  and 
become  virtuous  and  happy. 

Draco's  laws  were  so  very  harsh  that  no- 
body liked  to  resort  to  them  for  the  correction 
of  errors  and  crimes :  hence  Athens  was  as 
badly  oflT  as  if  she  had  been  without  laws ; 
and  for  many  years  disorder  and  licentious- 
ness reigned. 


SOLON.  45 

One  hundred  and  fifty  years  after  the  death 
of  the  stern  Draco,  the  Athenians  chose  Solon 
for  their  archon,  and  entreated  him  to  make 
them  some  just  laws,  A.  C.  594. 

Solon  was  one  of  the  seven  wise  men  of 
Greece,  and  gave  a  clever  answer  to  Croesus, 
king  of  Lydia.  Croesus  was  so  rich,  that 
even  now  it  is  common  to  say,  '^as  rich  as 
Croesus."  This  king  showed  his  wealth  to 
Solon,  and  then  asked  him,  if  he  did  not 
think  the  possessor  of  so  much  gold  the  hap- 
piest of  men. — "No,"  replied  the  philoso- 
pher ;  "  I  know  a  happier  man,  an  honest 
laborer,  who  has  just  enough  to  live  on."  — 
"  And  who  is  the  next  happiest  ?  "  said  the 
king,  expecting  himself  to  be  named.  "  The 
next  happiest,"  answered  Solon,  "  are  two 
virtuous  sons,  who  were  remarkable  for  their 
duty  and  kindness  to  their  mother."  —  ''And 
think  you  not  that  I  am  happy  ?  "  exclaimed 
the  disappointed  monarch.  "  No  man  can  be 
deemed  happy  till  his  death,"  said  the  sage. 
When  Croesus,  afterwards,  was  taken  prisoner 
by  Cyrus,  and  about  to  be  burnt,  he  recol- 
lected this  conversation,  and  cried  out,  ''  Oh  ! 
Solon  !  Solon  !  "  Cyrus  inquired  wherefore 
this  exclamation ;  and,  when  the  cause  of  it 
was  explained,  he  set  Croesus  at  liberty,  and 
owned  himself  instructed  by  the  hint  of 
Solon.  —  Thus  the  philosopher  saved  the  life 
of  one  king,  and  benefited  another. 

When  setting  about  altering  the  laws,  the 


4G 


SOLON.         THALES 


first  thing  that  Solon  did  was  to  repeal  the 
laws  of  Draco  ;  that  is,  to  declare  them  no 
longer  binding.  Next,  he  endeavored  to  in- 
troduce more  equahty  of  rank  and  property, 
by  giving  power  to  the  lower  classes. 

He  reestablished  the  Areopagus.  This 
court  had  subsisted  before,  but  had  fallen  into 
disrepute.  Solon,  by  confining  its  members 
to  those  who  had  been  archonS;  raised  the 
reputation  of  the  body  so  much,  that  it  was 
afterwards  greatly  venerated.  The  Areopa- 
gus was  the  highest  tribunal  in  Athens  ;  and 
took  its  name  from  being  held  upon  a  hill 
near  the  city,  called  Areopagus ;  that  is  to  say, 
the  Hill  of  Ares,  the  ancient  name  of  Mars. 

Many  were  the  useful  laws  instituted  by 
this  wise  legislator ;  and,  as  they  were  all 
mild  and  reasonable,  they  were  faithfully  act- 
ed upon  ;  so  that  Athens  greatly  improved  in 
virtue  £ind  in  wisdom  from  the  archonship  of 
Solon. 

You  see  how  much  can  be  done  by  the 
exertions  of  a  single  man ;  not  only  a  whole 
country  informed,  but  a  very  licentious  people 
rendered  remarkably  civilized  and  inteUigent. 

Solon  was  intimate  with  Thales,  the  most 
celebrated  of  the  seven  Grecian  sages.*     He 


*  The  names  of  these  seven  remarkable  personages  were, 
Thales,  of  Miletus;  Solon,  the  Athenian;  Pittacus,  of 
Mitylene;  Periander,  of  Corinth;  Bias,  of  Priene  ;  Cleo- 
bulus,  of  Lindus,  in  Rhodes  ;  and  Chilo,  the  Spartan  :  they 
were  mostly  contemporaries;  and  lived  between  A.  C.  665 
and  542. 


SOLON.        THALES.  47 

was  of  Phoenician  origin,  and  a  reputed  de- 
scendant of  Cadmus.  But  his  parents  had 
removed  to  Miletus,  a  town  of  Ionia,  where 
Thales  was  born,  A.  C.  643.  Like  others 
of  the  ancients,  he  travelled  in  quest  of 
knowledge,  and  visited  Crete,  Phoenicia,  and 
Egypt.  In  the  latter  country,  he  was  taught 
by  the  priests  geometry,  astronomy,  and  phi- 
losophy ;  in  return  he  is  said  to  have  shown 
them  how  to  measure  the  vast  height  and  ex- 
tent of  a  pyramid  by  its  shadow  —  a  problem 
which,  at  that  period,  was  deemed  astonishing, 
but  now  has  nothing  difficult  in  it  beyond 
the  labor  of  calculation.  On  his  return  to 
Miletus,  his  reputation  for  wisdom  was  very 
great,  and  deservedly  so  ;  for  he  was  the  first 
who  calculated  with  accuracy  a  solar  eclipse  ; 
he  examined  the  origm  of  the  winds,  and  the 
cause  of  thunder  and  lightning  ;  he  discovered 
the  solstices  and  equinoxes,  arranged  the  order 
of  the  seasons,  and  fixed  the  number  of  days 
in  the  year  at  365. 

That  nothing  might  interfere  with  his  sci- 
entific pursuits,  he  abstracted  hrmself  as  much 
as  possible  from  society  ;  and,  when  his  moth- 
er urged  him  to  marry,  he  replied,  '^  Before 
my  travels,  I  was  too  young  ;  I  am  now  too 
old  :  between  these  two  extremes  a  philosopher 
has  no  time  to  think  of  it."  Solon  thought 
otherwise :  he  was  married,  and,  when  he 
visited  Thales,  at  Miletus,  he  frequently  ral- 
lied him  on  the  uncomfortableness  of  a  single 


48  SOI.GN.       THALES. 

life.  By  way  of  retaliation,  Thales  engaged 
a  stranger  to  come  into  the  room  while  he 
was  conversing  with  Solon,  and  to  pretend 
that  he  was  just  arrived  from  Athens.  So- 
lon, being  an  Athenian,  naturally  asked  what 
news  he  brought.  The  stranger  replied,  "  A 
promising  young  man  is  just  dead,  for  whom 
the  whole  city  is  in  mourning."  —  "  What  is 
his  name  ?  "  inquired  Solon,  eagerly.  ''  I 
cannot  tell,"  answered  the  stranger:  ''all  I 
know  is,  that  his  father  is  a  great  philosopher, 
and  is  at  present  travelling  at  a  distance  from 
home."  —  "Alas!  alas!"  cried  Solon,  who 
doubted  not  that  it  was  his  own  son,  of  whom 
the  stranger  spoke  ;  and  he  began  to  weep  and. 
tear  his  hair.  "  Moderate  your  grief,"  said 
Thales,  smiling.  "  You  now  perceive  one 
of  the  advantages  of  a  single  life.  Such 
grief  as  you  now  feel  can  never  assail  the 
man  who  refuses  to  marry.  Be  comforted ; 
for  this  news  is  not  true :  your  son  still 
lives." 

Some  lonians,  one  day,  bargained  with  a 
party  of  Milesian  fishermen  for  the  next 
draught  of  fishes  they  should  catch.  When 
the  net  was  hauled  up,  it  was  found  to  contain 
a  golden  tripod,  which,  it  was  reported,  Helen 
had  thrown  into  the  sea  as  she  returned  from 
Troy.  This,  you  know,  must  be  a  fable.  A 
dispute,  as  might  be  expected,  arose^  as  to 
whom  the  tripod  belonged  —  to  the  fishermen, 
or  to  the  lonians ;  and,  as  they  could  not  set- 


SOLON.       THALES.  4^ 

tie  the  matter  themselveSj  they  referred  the 
question  to  the  Delphian  oracle.  The  answer 
assigned  the  prize  "to  the  wisest.^'^  The 
Milesians,  thinking  their  own  philosopher, 
Thales,  the  wisest  man  in  the  world,  sent  the 
tripod  to  him.  But  Thales,  too  modest  to 
deem  himself  perfect,  forwarded  it  to  Bias, 
another  of  the  Grecian  sages ;  who,  for  sim- 
ilar reasons,  sent  it  to  Pittacus ;  and  thus  it 
went  round,  till  it  came  to  Solon,  whose  de- 
cision was,  that  ''  God  alone  is  truly  wise  ;  " 
and  therefore  he  sent  it  to  Delphi,  to  be  con- 
secrated to  the  deity  of  the  place. 

Thales  rendered  an  important  service  to 
Croesus,  when  he  was  at  a  loss  how  to  get  his 
army  across  the  River  Halys ;  having  neither 
bridges  nor  boats  for  the  purpose.  The  phi- 
losopher ordered  the  men  to  cut  a  trench  be- 
hind the  camp,  in  the  form  of  a  crescent,  and 
to  make  it  join  the  river  at  its  two  extremities. 
The  water  was  thus  diverted  into  another 
channel,  and  the  river  became  fordable. 

Thales  lived  to  the  advanced  age  of  ninety- 
six  years  ;  and  died  respected  for  his  virtue 
and  admired  for  his  wisdom.  The  Milesians 
celebrated  his  funeral  with  great  pomp,  and 
erected  a  statue  to  his  memory. 

Thespis  was  the  first  poet  who  performed 

comedies  at  Athens.     He  and  his  immediate 

successors  had  no  playhouses,  but  used  to  act 

upon  an  open  cart,  somewhat  as  our  itinerant 

5 


50  SOLON.       ^SOP.       PISISTRATUS. 

show-folks  do  now.  Solon  did  not  disapprove 
of  these  shows,  and  even  went  himself  to  see 
them.  But  when  the  play  was  over,  he  called 
Thespis,  who  had  been  acting  various  charac- 
ters, and  asked  him  if  he  were  not  ashamed 
to  speak  so  many  lies?  Thespis  replied,  "It 
was  all  in  jest."  Admire,  I  beseech  yon,  the 
answer  of  Solon :  striking  his  staff  on  the 
ground  violently,  he  cried,  "  If  we  encourage 
ourselves  to  speak  falsely  in  jest,  we  shall  run 
the  chance  of  acquiring  a  habit  of  speaking 
falsely  in  serious  matters."  Had  he  never 
uttered  any  other  words  than  these,  he  would 
have  deserved  the  character  of  a  wise  man. 

^sop,  who  wrote  so  many  ingenious  fables, 
was  much  caressed  by  King  Croesus ;  whilst 
Solon,  for  his  bluntness,  was  little  noticed. 
iEsop  therefore  said,  "  A  man  should  not 
converse  with  kings,  unless  he  says  what  is 
agreeable."  But  Solon  nobly  answered,  "  He 
should  not  speak,  unless  he  says  what  is  use- 
ful." 

You  will  observe  that  all  wise  and  good 
persons  are  equally  remarkable  for  truth.  In- 
deed, there  can  be  no  virtue  where  there  is  no 
truth :  none  but  fools  and  knaves  condescend 
to  be  false  and  cunning. 

Pisistratus,  an  Athenian,  desiring  to  gain 
power,  wounded  himself;  then  ran  into  the 
market-place,  and  said  his  enemies  had  hurt, 
him.       Solon,   with   contempt,  said    to  him, 


PERIANDER.  51 

"  Son  of  Hippocrates,  you  act  Ulysses  badly  : 
he  hurt  himself  to  deceive  his  enemies  ;  you 
have  done  so  to  cheat  your  friends.  ^^ 

The  populace  being,  as  is  generally  the 
case,  deaf  to  the  voice  of  reason,  Pisistratus 
became  tyrant,  or  king,  of  Athens ;  and  Solon 
retired  to  Cyprus,  where  he  died  at  a  good  old 
age,  A.  C.  558,  happy  in  the  consciousness  of 
having  done  much  for  his  native  country. 

Whilst  Solon  and  Thales  were  improving 
their  respective  countries  of  Attica  and  Ionia, 
by  virtue,  wisdom,  and  science,  the  republic 
of  Corinth  was  doomed  to  suffer  under  the 
cruel  despotism  of  Periander ;  who,  though 
reckoned  among  the  sages  of  Greece,  rather 
usurped  the  title  by  his  power,  than  deserved 
it  by  meritorious  deeds.  His  father  had  been 
chief  magistrate  of  the  republic  ;  and,  when  he 
succeeded  him,  the  first  years  of  his  govern- 
ment were  mild  and  popular.  But,  soon 
showing  a  desire  to  make  himself  absolute, 
the  people  became  disaffected,  and  he  sent  to 
Thrasybulus,  tyrant,  or  prince,  of  Miletus,  for 
advice  as  to  the  best  means  of  establishing 
himself.  Thrasybulus,  instead  of  sending 
any  reply,  took  his  messenger  into  a  corn- 
field, and  lopped  off  the  heads  of  all  such  ears 
as  overtopped  the  rest.  — You  recollect  a  sim- 
ilar story  of  Tarquin.  Periander  in  this  case, 
as  Sextus  in  the  Roman  story,  understood 
the  symbolical  purport  of  this  act ;  and,  sur- 
rounding himself  with  a  numerous  guard,  put 


53  PERIANDER.       ARION. 

to  death  the  richest  and  most  powerful  citi- 
zens of  Corinth.  Nor  was  it  towards  his  sub- 
jects only  that  Periander  proved  severe  and 
rigorous ;  he  was  a  cruel  husband  and  a  bad 
father.  The  only  thing  that  can  be  said  in 
his  favor  is,  that  he  was  a  friend  to  learning 
and  learned  men.  He  invited  the  other  wise 
men  to  his  court,  and  entertained  them  with 
respect  and  hospitality.  He  was  fond  of 
peace,  and  patronized  the  fine  arts.  His  ap- 
ophthegms, or  wise  sayings,  are  beautiful,  and 
so  contradictory  to  the  actions  of  his  life,  that 
many  historians  insist  that  Periander  the  ty- 
rant was  a  different  person  from  Periander  the 
wise  man.  It  may  be  observed,  however, 
that  the  accounts  we  have  of  him  were  trans- 
mitted by  his  political  enemies.  He  died,  as 
it  is  said,  by  his  own  contrivance,  after  a 
reign  of  forty  years,  in  the  eightieth  year  of 
his  age,  A.  O.  585.  Notwithstanding  his  cru- 
elty, his  subjects  honored  his  learning,  and 
erected  a  monument  to  his  memory. 

The  marvellous  adventure  of  Arion  is  placed 
in  the  time  of  Periander.  Arion,  the  most 
famous  lyric  poet  and  musician  of  his  day, 
made  a  voyage  to  Italy  in  company  with  Pe- 
riander ;  and,  remaining  behind,  amassed  im- 
mense wealth  by  his  profession :  at  length, 
wishing  to  return  to  his  native  country,  Les- 
bos, he  hired  a  Corinthian  vessel  at  Tarentum, 
thinking  he  might  safely  trust  himself  and  his 
riches  to  Corinthian  sailors.     As  soon,  how- 


ARION.  53 

ever,  as  the  vessel  was  out  at  sea,  the  sailors 
resolved  to  throw  him  overboard,  and  divide 
his  riches  among  themselves.  Arion  entreat- 
ed them  to  spare  his  life  ;  but,  finding  them 
inflexible,  begged  permission  to  play  one  tune 
upon  his  lute  before  he  died :  this  was  granted  : 
the  sailors  retired  to  the  middle  of  the  vessel 
to  listen ;  while  Arion,  mounting  the  stern, 
struck  up  the  ''Morning  Hymn."  As  soon  as 
he  had  finished,  he  threw  himself,  with  all  his 
jewels,  into  the  sea;  and  the  ship,  with  its  dis- 
appointed crew,  sailed  on  to  Corinth.  So  far  is 
probable  ;  what  follows,  if  not  altogether  fab- 
ulous, has  been  rendered  so  by  the  embellish- 
ments the  story  has  received.  It  might  be, 
that  Arion  was  picked  up  by  some  other  ves- 
sel, and  conveyed  in  safety  to  land ;  but  the 
legend  is,  that  a  immber  of  dolphins  had  been 
attracted  round  the  ship  by  the  melody  of 
his  music,  and  that  Arion  was  carried  on  the 
back  of  one  of  them  to  Tsenarus,  in  Laconia, 
whence  he  again  set  sail,  and,  arriving  at 
Corinth  before  the  sailors,  related  to  Perian- 
der  all  that  had  happened.  When  the  sailors 
came,  they  were  questioned  as  to  the  fate  of 
Arion  ;  and  they  boldly  replied  that  they  had 
left  him  well  at  Tarentum ;  upon  v^^hich  a 
door  was  thrown  open,  and  Arion  appeared, 
clad  just  as  when  he  made  his  leap  into  the 
sea.  This  unexpected  appearance  confounded 
the  guilty  sailors ;  and  Periander  ordered  them 
all  to  be  crucified. 
5* 


54  CYRUS. 

About  this  time  the  temple  of  Jerusalem 
was  taken  and  burnt  by  Nebuchadnezzar, 
A.  C.  588 ;  and  Sappho,  the  lyric  poetess, 
flourished. 


CHAPTER   XII. 

CYRUS. 

A  FEW  years  before  Solon  was  chosen  ar- 
chon  of  Athens,  a  prince  was  born  very  wor- 
thy of  being  noticed  and  admired.  This  was 
Cyrus,  the  son  of  Cambyses,  king  of  Persia, 
and  grandson  of  Astyages,  king  of  the  Medes. 
This  Astyages  is  called  Ahasuerus  in  the 
Bible. 

The  manners  of  the  Persians  were  excellent 
in  those  days :  great  simplicity  in  dress,  food, 
and  behavior,  universally  prevailed ;  so  that 
Cyrus  was  plainly  and  wisely  educated,  and 
learnt  to  be  modest  in  his  demeanor,  and  mod- 
erate in  his  wishes.  When  he  was  yet  a  boy, 
his  mother,  Mandane,  took  him  to  visit  his 
grandfather  ;  and  the  pride  and  luxury  of  the 
court  of  Media  quite  surprised  and  disgusted 
him.  Astyages  was  so  charmed  Avith  the  sen- 
sible conversation  and  artless  manners  of  the 
prince,  that  he  loaded  him  with  rich  presents, 
and  made  a  grand  entertainment ;  but  Cyrus 
gave  away  all  the  fine  things  to  the  coUxtiersj 


CYRUS.  && 

a  present  to  one,  because  he  instructed  him  ; 
to  another,  because  he  was  kind  to  his  moth- 
er ;  to  a  third,  because  he  took  care  of  his  old 
grandfather.  All  this  showed,  not  only  that 
he  was  generous,  but  that  he  reflected,  and 
gave  gifts  with  judgment,  and  from  motives 
of  gratitude. 

Sacas,  the  cup-bearer,  he  neglected,  because 
he  did  not  let  him  visit  Astyages  when  he 
pleased ;  and  when  Astyages  lamented  this 
neglect  of  so  good  an  officer,  ^^O,"  said  the 
young  prince,  "  there  is  not  much  merit  in 
being  a  good  cup-bearer ;  I  can  do  as  well 
myself."  He  accordingly  took  the  cup,  and 
handed  it  to  his  mother  with  great  modesty 
and  gracefulness.  Astyages  admired  his  skill ; 
but  laughingly  observed,  ''  The  young,  waiter 
had  forgotten  one  thing."  —  "  What  have  I  for- 
gotten ?"  asked  Cyrus.  ''To  taste  the  wine 
before  you  handed  it  to  me  and  your  mother." 
■ —  "I  did  not  forget  that ;  but  I  did  not  choose 
to  swallow  poison." — "Poison!"  exclaimed 
the  king.  "  Yes ;  there  must  be  poison  in  the 
cup ;  for  they  who  drink  of  it  sometimes  grow 
giddy  and  sick,  and  fall  down."  —  "  Then  do 
you  never  drink  in  your  country  ?  "  inquired 
Astyages.  "  Yes  ;  but  we  only  drink  to  sat- 
isfy thirst,  and  then  a  little  water  suffices." 

I  dare  say  many  children  must  have  thought 
like  Cyrus ;  I  only  Avish,  when  they  grow  up, 
they  would  remember  their  thoughts ;  and 
then  they  would  not  drink  strong  wine  and 


56  CYRUS. 

fiery  spirits,  which  do  indeed  often  cause  sick- 
ness and  loss  of  sense,  and,  when  too  freely 
swallowed,  prove  a  poison.  How  many  are 
killed  by  drinking  strong  liquors ! 

Soon  after  this  discourse,  Cyrus  returned 
home,  and  was  remarkable  for  his  obedience 
to  his  father  Cambyses,  who,  in  his  turn,  gave 
his  son  very  good  advice.  The  prince  fought 
many  battles,  and  was  as  brave  towards  his 
enemies  as  he  was  merciful  to  his  prisoners. 
Do  you  recollect  the  anecdote  I  told  you  of 
his  pardoning  Crcesus,  and  giving  him  his 
life?  Well,  when  this  Croesus,  who,  you 
know,  prized  money  above  all  other  things, 
asked  Cyrus  where  he  kept  his  wealth,  Cyrus 
wrote  a  short  note,  and  sent  it  to  the  lords  of 
his  coui't,  a,nd  presently  a  large  sum  of  money 
was  brought  to  him.  "  Observe,"  said  this 
noble  youth  ;  "  the  chests  in  which  I  keep  my 
riches,  are  the  hearts  of  my  subjects." 

He  knew  that,  by  his  wise  and  amiable 
conduct,  he  had  so  entirely  gained  the  love 
and  confidence  of  his  people,  that  he  had  only 
to  ask,  and  they  would  give  him  all  he  de- 
sired. 

I  should  never  have  done,  were  I  to  tell  you 
all  the  clever  and  noble  acts  that  this  great 
prince  performed.  You  must  read  the  full 
history  of  his  life  in  RoUin,  and  you  will  find 
it  more  amusing  and  instructive  than  all  the 
novels  that  were  ever  written. 

I  will  only  add,  that,  after  a  long  and  in- 


CYRUS.       CONFUCIUS.  57' 

tferesting  siege,  he  took  the  city  of  Babylon, 
and  put  an  end  to  the  Assyrian  monarchy, 
which  had  subsisted  from  the  time  of  Nimrod. 
Belshazzar  was  then  king  of  Babylon ;  and  I 
dare  say  you  have  read  the  account  given  in 
the  Bible  of  his  seeing  a  hand-writing  on  the 
wall ;  of  Daniel  explaining  to  him  that  he 
was  about  to  lose  his  kingdom;  and  of  the 
strange  manner  in  which  Babylon  was  en- 
tered, and  the  king  taken  and  killed. 

The  prince  who  thus  conquered  was  Cyrus 
the  Great.  He  soon  after,  by  the  death  of  his 
father,  grandfather,  and  uncle,  became  sole 
monarch  of  Media  and  Persia,  besides  other 
states  which  he  had  acquired  by  his  victories. 
He  died  at  the  age  of  seventy,  in  the  midst 
of  his  family  and  friends,  after  a  life  remark- 
able for  virtue  and  glory,  A.  C.  529,  two  years 
before  the  death  of  Pisi  stratus,  tyrant  of 
Athens. 


CHAPTER   Xni. 

CONFUCIUS.    CHINA. 


I  HAVE  already  told  you  of  two  great  law- 
givers, Lycurgus  of  Sparta,  and  Solon  of 
Athens ;  I  have  now  to  tell  you  of  a  third, 
Confucius,  the  legislator  of  China.  Confucius 
was  born  just  before  Solon  died,  when  Cyrus 


58  CHINA.       CONFUCIUS. 

the  Great  was  in  the  height  of  his  power,  and 
the  prime  of  his  life. 

The  Chinese  pretend  that  Noah  (whom  they 
call  Fo-hee)  settled  in  the  north  part  of  China, 
and  that  therefore  their  nation  is  derived  from 
him  ;  certain  it  is,  that  the  empire  of  China  is 
of  high  antiquity. 

Confucius  was  a  very  grave  child,  not  fond 
of  play,  very  studious,  and  very  devout. 
When  only  twenty-three  years  of  age,  he  be- 
gan to  attempt  the  reform  of  his  countrymen, 
who  were  immersed  in  dissipation  and  extrav- 
agance. 

The  virtue  and  ability  of  Confucius  caused 
him  to  be  much  respected,  and  he  was  chosen 
to  fill  offices  of  high  dignity.  He  was  very 
happy  to  accept  the  situation  of  a  magistrate, 
because  he  hoped  to  be  more  useful  to  his 
fellow-citizens ;  and  he  exerted  himself  very 
much,  until,  finding  that,  in  spite  of  all  his 
exertions,  the  people  were  little  amended,  he 
gave  up  places  that  he  only  valued  as  extend- 
ing his  capacity  of  doing  good.  He  then 
travelled  about  different  parts  of  this  vast  em- 
pire ;  and,  on  his  again  settling  in  his  native 
province,  he  was  invested  with  an  important 
office  in  the  government.  At  that  time,  China 
was  composed  of  many  kingdoms,  each  gov- 
erned by  its  own  sovereign. 

Confucius  wished  a  king  to  reign  amidst  his 
subjects  as  a  father  amongst  his  children,  and 
wrote  many  books,  and  took  many  journeys, 


CONFUCIUS.  59 

to  bring  about  so  desirable  a  form  of  govern- 
ment. No  doubt,  he  did  much  good,  but  cer- 
tainly not  so  much  as  he  desired  and  deserved. 
He  was  wont  to  say  to  his  followers,  "  There 
are  four  things  that  make  me  uneasy :  1st,  my 
small  progress  in  virtue  ;  2d,  my  want  of  en- 
thusiasm in  study;  3d,  my  defects  in  the  ad- 
ministration of  justice ;  4th,  my  insufficient 
regulation  of  my  temper." 

These  were  the  modest  sentiments  of  a  man 
renowned  for  his  virtue,  his  learning,  his  jus- 
tice, his  self-control.  We  plainly  see  that  the 
best  people  are  the  most  humble  ;  the  wisest 
are  the  most  diffident. 

A  few  days  before  his  death,  he  said  to  his 
friends  and  attendants,  "  Kings  refuse  to  at- 
tend to  my  precepts :  then  let  me  die,  since  I 
can  no  longer  be  useful  to  the  world."  He 
peaceably  expired  in  the  arms  of  his  friends, 
gray-headed,  and  enriched  by  wisdom  and  by 
worth. 

After  his  death,  his  true  value  was  known  ; 
and  his  memory,  from  that  hour,  has  been 
honored  and  respected  by  the  Chinese.  Many 
temples  have  been  inscribed  with  his  name, 
and  many  ceremonies  are  performed  in  his 
honor.  They  worship  him  as  the  greatest 
legislator  and  wisest  man  that  ever  lived. 
The  history  he  wrote  is  venerated  ;  the  pre- 
cepts he  strove  to  inculcate  are  held  most 
precious. 

Thus,  it  seems,  worth  and  excellence  are 


60  ZOROASTER.       KINGS    OF    ROME. 

sure  to  be  duly  prized,  if  not  during  the  life 
of  the  individual,  yet  after  his  death.  At  the 
same  time  that  Confucius  flourished  m  Chma, 
Zoroaster  is  by  some  supposed  to  have  lived 
in  Persia.  Zoroaster  taught  the  Persians  to 
reverence  the  sun  and  fire,  as  representatives 
of  the  one  true  God.  By  many  writers,  how- 
ever, the  era  of  Zoroaster  is  carried  back  as 
far  as  the  time  when  Abraham  was  called  out 
of  Ur  of  Chaldeea,  A.  C.  1926. 


CHAPTER   XIY. 

TARQUINIUS  SUPERBUS,  SEVENTH  AND  LAST  KING 
OF  ROME. 

Of  1.  Romulus;  %  Numa;  3.  TuUus,  you 
have  already  heard:  of  4.  Ancus  Martins ;  5 
Tarquinius  Priscus ;  6.  Servius  Tullms;  and 
r.  Tarquinius  Superbus,  the  remaining  kings 
of  Rome,  you  have  yet  to  hear. 

After  the  combat  of  the  Horatn  and  Curiatn, 
TuUus  reigned  several  years,  and  died,  it  is 
said  bv  treason.  Ancus  Martins,  the  grand- 
son of  Numa,  succeeded  to  the  throne  :  nothing 
remarkable  happened  in  his  reign,  except  that 
a  stranger,  named  Lucius,  came  to  live  at 
Rome,  and  was  made  guardian  of  the  two  sons 
of  Ancus. 


TARQUINIUS    PRISCUS.  61 

When  Ancus  died,  the  governmentj  as  usual, 
fell  into  the  hands  of  the  senate,  and  Lucius, 
by  cunning  and  dissimulation,  contrived  to  be 
made  king.  He  said  his  wife  had  prophesied 
that  he  should  reign,  because,  when  approach- 
ing Rome  on  his  first  journey  to  it,  as  he  was 
riding  in  an  open  car,  an  eagle  caught  off  his 
cap,  and,  after  much  noise  and  fluttering,  put 
it  on  again.  In  those  days,  little  accidents, 
which  we  now  think  of  no  consequence,  were 
dwelt  upon  and  explained  as  boding  strange 
events.  You  know,  when  the  result  is  known, 
it  is  very  easy  to  fancy  that  some  trifle  pre- 
dicted it. 

A  crown  so  unjustly  obtained  was  not  long 
possessed,  and  probably  never  enjoyed ;  for 
conscience  is  too  busy  to  let  the  unjust  relish 
their  ill-gotten  advantages.  Lucius  Tarquini- 
us  Priscus  was  murdered,  and  the  sons  of 
Ancus  were  supposed  to  have  ordered  his 
murder.  They  fled  from  Rome,  which  cer- 
tainly looked  as  if  they  were  guilty ;  inno- 
cence does  not  shun  inquiry. 

The  ambitious  wife,  who  had  foreboded  Tar- 
quin's  elevation,  concealed  his  death  until  she 
had  caused  her  son-in-law  to  be  chosen  king. 
This  was  Servius  Tullius :  of  him,  too,  she 
told  a  strange  story,  that,  when  he  was  a  boy 
and  asleep,  a  bright  flame  of  fire  had  been 
seen  blazing  around  his  head. 

Servius  was  a  good  man,  and  married  his 
6 


62  8ERVIUS    TULLIUS. 

two  daughters  to  the  two  *  sons  of  Tarquinius  •, 
and  then,  having  estabHshed  peace  and  good 
government  among  the  Romans,  he  was  pre- 
paring to  quit  the  throne  and  live  in  retire- 
ment.    But  these  intentions  were  frustrated. 

Tullia,  one  of  his  daughters,  loved  her 
sister's  husband  better  than  her  own ;  and  he 
returned  her  love,  if  such  wicked  wretches 
could  feel  love.  Tullia  killed  her  husband, 
as  did  young  Tarquinius  his  wife,  and  then 
they  married.  As  one  wickedness  paves  the 
way  for  another,  these  shameless  persons  next 
plotted  the  death  of  the  good  Servius.  You 
will  read  with  horror,  that  the  cruel  Tullia  re- 
joiced when  she  heard  that  Tarquinius  had 
murdered  her  father.  When  she  rode  forth  in 
her  fine  chariot  to  congratulate  the  base  mur- 
derer, her  driver,  seeing  the  bleeding  body  of 
Servius  lying  in  the  street,  was  going  to  turn 
down  another  road,  thinking,  very  rationally, 
that  his  mistress  would  be  shocked  to  behold 
the  mangled  corpse  of  her  poor  old  father. 
But  Tullia  had  expelled  from  her  heart  all 
natural  feeling,  and  angrily  bade  the  man 
drive  on ;  he  did  so,  and  the  chariot- wheels 
of  the  daughter's  car  were  stained  with  the 
blood  of  her  gray-haired  father. 

Although  the  wicked  son-in-law  was  made 
king,  and,  from  his  pride,  was  entitled  Tar- 
quinius  Superbus,  (Tarquin  the  Proud,)  yet 

*  Livy. 


TARQUINIUS     SUPERBUS.  63 

you  may  be  sure  all  men  detested  him.  He 
made  his  children  as  bad  as  himself ;  for  he 
sent  his  son  Sextus  to  a  city  called  Gabii,  and 
commanded  him  to  feign  that  his  father  had 
used  him  very  ill,  therefore  he  had  run  away. 
The  citizens  believed  the  deceitful  Sextus, 
and  were  very  kind  to  him,  and  at  last  made 
him  their  general.  This  was  what  Tarquin 
expected.  When  his  son  sent  a  messenger  to 
know  what  he  must  do  next,  Tarquin  gave 
no  answer,  but,  before  the  messenger,  cut  off 
the  heads  of  the  tallest  poppies  that  grew  in 
the  garden  where  he  was  walking. 

No  doubt  he  was  afraid  of  writing  or  speak- 
ing, lest  the  messenger  should  betray  him  ; 
for  the  wicked  always  live  in  the  misery  of 
expecting  a  retaliation  of  the  treachary  and 
cruelty  they  practise.  Sextus,  knowing  his 
father's  perfidious  artifices,  understood  what 
he  was  to  do,  and  without  hesitation  cut  off 
the  heads  of  all  the  greatest  men  in  Gabii. 
The  city,  no  longer  protected  by  brave  and 
prudent  citizens,  fell  an  easy  prey  to  the 
Romans ;  the  treacherous  Sextus  assisting  to 
betray  the  nation  which  had  hospitably  re- 
ceived him. 

Such  wicked  courses  were  soon  to  have  an 
end.  Prince  Sextus  Collatinus,  a  noble  Ro- 
man, and  some  officers,  when  with  the  army 
besieging  Ardea,  a  small  town  not  far  from 
Rome,  as  they  were  all  drinking  and  carous- 
ing, were  boasting  what  excellent  wives  each 


64  TARQUINIUS     SUPERBUS. 

possessed.  Collatinus  was  certain  that  his 
was  the  best ;  so,  in  a  frolic,  the  young  men 
mounted  their  horses,  and  set  off  for  Rome, 
to  discover  whose  wife  was  most  properly 
employed  in  the  absence  of  her  husband. 

The  ladies  were  found  visiting  and  passing 
the  time  in  mirth  and  amusement,  all  but 
Lucretia,  the  wife  of  Collatinus ;  and  she  was 
spinning  wool  among  her  maidens  at  home. 
Sextus  was  so  charmed  with  the  good  sense 
and  right  behavior  of  Lucretia,  that  he  fell  in 
love  with  her,  and  wished  her  to  quit  her 
husband,  and  go  away  with  him. 

Lucretia,  shocked  at  his  vile  proposals, 
killed  herself  for  grief,  which  so  distracted 
Collatinus,  that,  with  Junius  Brutus  and 
other  friends,  he  raised  an  army,  and  drove 
Sextus  and  his  infamous  father  from  Rome. 
The  people  had  suffered  so  much  under  the 
tyranny  of  this  king,  that  they  resolved  not 
only  that  he  should  never  come  back,  but 
that  they  would  have  no  more  kings.  They 
therefore  appointed  two  magistrates,  called 
consuls^  who  were  to  be  elected  annually ; 
and  Collatinus,  the  husband  of  Lucretia,  and 
Junius  Brutus,  her  avenger,  were  the  first  two 
consuls  who  were  chosen. 


MARATHON.       MILTIADES.  65 


CHAPTER   XV. 


MARATHON.    MILTIADES. 


It  is  curious  that  Athens  should  expel  her 
tyrants,  the  Pisistratidae,  (the  two  sons  of 
Pisistratus,)  just  about  the  same  time  that 
Rome  expelled  the  Tarquins.  The  cause, 
too,  was  nearly  the  same  —  the  bad  treat- 
ment of  a  woman.  The  sister  of  Harmodius 
was  ill  used  by  Hipparchus,  one  of  the  Pis- 
istratidae ;  Harmodius  and  his  friend  Aristo- 
giton  succeeded  in  delivering  Athens  from 
her  tyrants,  but  unhappily  died  themselves, 
when  engaged  in  destroying  Hipparchus. 
Hippias,  the  other  brother,  who  tried  to  con- 
tinue in  power,  arrested  a  beautiful  woman, 
named  Leona,  who,  as  he  thought,  knew  of 
the  conspiracy,  and  ordered  her  to  be  tortured 
till  she  disclosed  the  truth.  But  this  brave 
woman  bore  all  her  agony  in  silence  ;  and  at 
last,  afraid  that  extreme  pain  might  force  her 
to  speak,  she  bit  off  the  end  of  her  tongue, 
to  prevent  any  such  weakness,  and  died  faith- 
ful to  her  friends  —  a  noble  instance  of  cour- 
age and  fidelity. 

Hippias  was  soon  compelled  to  quit  Athens. 
Statues  were  erected  to  the  memory  of  Le- 
ona, Aristogiton,  and  Harmodius ;  and  the 
6 


g5  ARISTIDES. 

government   was,    shortly   after,   restored   to 
the  state  in  which   Solon  had  left  it. 

Callisthenes,  a  rich  Athenian,  strove,  in- 
deed, to  possess  the  power  he  had  himself 
helped  to  subvert ;  and,  whilst  popular,  made 
a  few  regulations,  among  which  one  is  well 
worth  notice. 

He  instituted  the    Ostracism,  which  was, 
that  every  man  of  sixty  years  of  age  should 
have  the  privilege  of  Avriting  on  a  tile,  or  an 
oyster-shell,  the  name  of  any  person  he  de- 
sired to  have  banished  from  the  city.     It  was 
then  that  Aristides,  a  person  so  excellent  that 
he  was  always  entitled   '^  Aristides  the  Just, 
was  exiled.     One  of  those  who  voted  against 
him,  met  Aristides,   and,   not   knowing  him, 
asked  him,  as  he  could  not  write  himself,  to 
be  so  kind  as  to  write  on  the  oyster-shell  for 
him        "What    name    shall   I   write?"    said 
Aristides.       "Write    Aristides,"   replied    the 
strancrer.       "And    what    harm   has   Aristides 
done^to  you,  friend,  that  you  should  desire 
his  banishment  ?  "  asked  Aristides.     "  He  has 
done  me  no  harm,"  answered  the  man  ;  "  but 
I  am  tired  of  hearing  of  Aristides  the  Just. 
Aristides  smiled  at  the  folly  of  the  applicant, 
and  doubtless  felt  well  pleased  that  he  was 
innocent   of   all    offence.       He   very  quietly 
wrote  his  own  name  on  the  oyster-shell,  and 
thus  conduced  to  his  own  sentence  of  exile. 

But,  before  he  was  exiled, —before  he  was 
ungratefully  sent  away  from  his  own  country, 


MABATHON.  67 

—  he  had  performed  for  that  country  many 
eminent  services. 

Miitiades  was  much  older  than  Aristides, 
and  was  sent  with  an  army  to  fight  against 
Darius,  king  of  Persia.  Darius  was  the  third 
king  of  Persia  after  Cyrus  ;  and  Datis  was  the 
Persian  general  whom  Darius  had  sent,  with 
a  large  army,  to  take  Athens  and  burn  it  to 
the  ground. 

Datis  met  the  Athenian  forces  at  Marathon, 
a  little  town  by  the  sea-side.  The  Athenians 
were  commanded  by  ten  generals,  each  of 
whom,  in  rotation,  commanded  for  one  day ; 
and  Miitiades  was  obliged  to  take  his  turn 
with  the  others,  although  he  was  chief  gen- 
eral. Aristides  had  sense  enough  to  see  the 
evil  of  such  a  plan,  and  generosity  enough 
to  give  up  his  honors  for  the  benefit  of  his 
country.  When  it  was  his  day  to  command, 
he  resigned  it  to  Miitiades,  because,  he  said, 
*'  Miitiades  was  the  best  general."  How 
much  benefit  a  good  example  may  produce ! 
The  other  generals,  seeing  the  propriety  of 
this  conduct,  admired  its  merit,  and  imitated 
what  they  approved  and  applauded. 

Miitiades,  however,  thought  it  his  duty 
not  to  act  till  his  proper  day  came  round  ;  on 
the  other  days,  as  he  had  the  power,  he  had 
the  sense  to  make  every  necessary  preparation. 
The  armies  engaged  in  a  fierce  and  obstinate 
battle ;  Themistocles,  a  brave  man,  and  the 
compeer  of  Aristides,   fought  nobly  by  his 


68  ARISTIDES. 

side  J-  from  the  skill  with  which  Miltiades 
had  placed  his  troops,  as  much  as  from  the 
valor  of  those  troops,  the  battle  of  Marathon 
was  won  by  the  Athenians,  B.  C.  490.  A 
soldier,  covered  with  the  blood  of  the  enemy, 
ran  to  Athens  with  the  news,  and  had  just 
strength  enough  left  to  say,  '•'  Rejoice  !  the 
victory  is  ours!"'  and  then  fell  down  dead 
from  fatigue  and  wounds. 

I  am  ashamed  to  tell  you  that,  after  this 
glorious  conduct,  Miltiades  died  in  prison, 
where  he  was  put  by  the  Athenians,  because 
he  could  not  pay  a  fine  which  they  levied  on 
him.  On  a  false  pretence  of  treachery  to  his 
country,  this  excellent  general  had  been  con- 
demned to  death  ;  and  afterwards  the  sentence 
of  death  was  changed  to  a  fine. 

Aristides,  you  have  heard,  was  banished  ; 
so,  it  seems,  the  Athenians  were  a  most  un- 
grateful people.  When  Aristides  was  quitting 
the  city,  instead  of  expressing  any  anger  or 
revenge,  he  prayed  to  the  gods  that  nothing 
might  happen  to  make  his  country  regret  his 
absence.  This  was  returning  good  for  evil ; 
this  was  the  behavior  of  a  truly  noble  mind. 

Themistocles,  from  jealousy  of  the  merit 
of  Aristides,  voted  for  his  banishment ;  but, 
although  so  unkind  in  that  action,  on  other 
occasions  he  acknowledged  and  praised  the 
virtues  of  Aristides. 

The  Athenians  had  the  sense  to  recall  Aris- 
tides ;  and  by  and  by  you  shall  hear  more 


BRUTUS.  69 

about  him.  I  will  now  finish  with  an  Anec- 
dote about  Themistocles.  When  he  was  in 
power,  he  laughingly  said,  that  his  son  was 
greater  than  any  man  in  Greece.  —  "  How  is 
that  ?  "  said  a  friend.  '^  Why,"  replied  The- 
mistocles, "  the  Athenians  govern  Greece  ;  / 
command  the  Athenians ;  his  mother  com- 
mands me ;  and  this  boy  commands  his 
mother !  " 

Pythagoras  died  about  this  time  ;  he  thought 
that  when  the  soul  quitted  the  body  of  man, 
it  passed  into  the  bodies  of  animals.  This 
is  called  the  '^  transmigration  of  souls ;  "  of 
course,  none  of  his  sect  ate  flesh,  for  fear 
they  should  devour  their  friends  and  relations. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

BRUTUS     MUTIUS  SC^VOLA.    CORIOLANUS. 

I  HAVE  now  to  tell  you  a  most  pathetic 
story.  You  remember,  the  first  two  consuls 
of  Rome  were  Junius  Brutus  and  CoUatinus. 
Brutus  had  tv/o  sons,*Titus  and  Tiberius :  these 
youths  engaged  with  others  of  the  young  no- 
bility in  a  conspiracy  to  restore  Tarquin  to 
the  throne.  This  conspiracy  was  discovered, 
by  a  slaye,  who  informed  the  consuls  of  it. 
All  the  conspirators  were  directly  taken,  and. 


70 


BRUTUS. 


being  put  in  chains,  were  condemned  <o  be 
beaten,  and  then  beheaded.  It  was  the  duty 
of  the  consuls  to  see  the  sentence  carried  into 
execution.  What  must  have  been  the  suffer- 
ings of  Brutus  to  behold  his  two  sons  first 
bleeding  with  stripes,  and  then  killed  before 
his  eyes !  Dearly  as  he  loved  his  children, 
he  loved  justice  and  his  country  more  dearly. 
Severely  as  he  deplored  the  fate  of  his  sons, 
yet  more  severely  he  lamented  their  crime. 
Dreadful  as  it  was  to  have  them  so  die,  yet 
more  dreadful  must  it  have  been  to  him  to 
know  they  deserved  so  to  die  !  The  people 
interceded  for  these  two  youths,  and  Collatinus 
was  willing  to  listen  to  them ;  but  Brutus 
firmly  persisted  in  performing  his  duty. 

The  Tarquins  now  fled  for  aid  to  Porsenna,'^ 


HORATIUS    COCLES.  71 

king, of  Clusium,  in  Etmria,  who  advanced 
with  a  large  army  to  Rome,  and  had  very 
nearly  entered  it.  The  valor  of  one  man 
saved  the  city.  Hov/  often  we  have  to  re- 
mark the  good  caused  by  the  valor  or  wisdom 
of  an  individual ! 

Horatius  Codes,  seeing  the  enemy  approach 
the  bridge  where  he  stood  sentinel,  and  ob- 
serving the  Romans  retreating,  besought  them 
to  assist  him,  and  to  burn  or  break  down  the 
bridge  behind  him,  whilst  he  went  forward  to 
keep  back  the  enemy. 

Two  of  his  friends  stood  by  him  while  he 
was  manfully  stemming  the  fury  of  his  foes ; 
but  he  bad6  them  retire  just  before  the  bridge 
was  entirely  removed.  He  then  remained 
alone,  fighting  in  the  midst  of  his  enemies ; 
and,  when  he  heard  the  crash  of  the  bridge, 
and  the  shouts  of  the  Romans,  because  all 
was  demolished,  and  no  way  of  entrance  left 
for  the  foe,  he  jumped  into  the  river,  and  swam 
over  to  his  friends  in  safety. 

Another  action,  not  so  wonderful,  but  much 
more  credible,  was  performed  about  this  time. 

Mutius  Scsevola,  a  noble  young  Roman, 
,  went  to  the  senate,  and  told  them  he  was  re- 
solved  to  perform  a  great  action,  and  desired 
leave  to  go  to  Porsenna's  camp.  Leave  was 
granted  ;  and,  disguising  himself,  he  hastened 
away,  and  entered  the  royal  tent.  There  he 
saw  a  man  so  richly  dressed,  that,  supposing 
he  was  the  king,  he  killed  him ;  but  he  was 


72  MUTIUS     SC^VOLA. 

only  a  secretary.  Pray  think  a  little  !  Was 
there  any  greatness  in  stealing  into  even  an 
enemy's  tent  to  commit  murder  ? 

When  endeavoring  to  quit  the  camp,  Mu- 
tius  was  seized  and  carried  before  Porsenna, 
who  told  him  he  would  severely  torture  him, 
if  he  did  not  betray  the  schemes  of  the  Ro- 
mans. Mutius  only  answered  by  putting  his 
hand  into  one  of  the  fires  lighted  near  him, 
and  holding  it  steadily  there.  These  fires 
had  been  lighted  on  purpose  to  increase  his 
sufferings  by  burning  or  scorching.  When 
Porsenna  saw  the  courage  and  fortitude  of 
this  youth,  he  leaped  from  his  throne,  and, 
drawing  the  hand  of  Mutius  from  the  flame, 
highly  praised  him,  and  dismissed  him  with- 
out further  hurt. 

A  little  before  the  Athenians  banished  Aris- 
tides,  the  Romans  exiled  a  great   general  of 
theirs,    called    Coriolanus.      But    Coriolanus 
acted  differently  from  Aristides.     He  did  not 
patiently  submit  to  his  fate,  but  went  to  the 
Volsci,  a  nation  at  war  with  Rome,  and  of- 
fered his  services  against  his  native  city.     As 
general  of  the  Volscians,  Coriolanus  besieged 
and  took  many  towns  belonging  to  the  Ro- 
mans.    At  last,  he  attacked  the  city  of  Rome, 
and  would  have   conquered  it,   had  not  his 
mother,  with  his  wife,  his  children,  and  many  ] 
matrons,  gone  out  to  him,  and,  kneeUng  be-  | 
fore  him,  prayed  to  him  until  he  promised  to  I 
draw  off  his  army. 


CORIOLANUS. 


73 


You  see,  Coriolanus  had  placed  himself  in  a 
trying  situation ;  he  must  either  betray  the 
Volsci,  who  trusted  in  him,  or  destroy  the 
city  in  which  he  was  born. 

If  he  had  endured  his  unjust  banishment 
with  fortitude  and  patience,  he  would  have 
escaped  a  trial,  in  which,  whatever  his  decis- 
ion, he  must  do  wrong ;  he  must  either  be 
treacherous  or  cruel.  By  departing  from  the 
line  of  duty,  we  not  only  commit  one  fault, 
but  run  the  risk  of  committing  many.  The 
Yolscians  were  so  irritated  at  his  conduct,  that 
they  assassinated  him,  B.  C.  488. 

The  tribunes  of  the  people  were  first  crea- 
ted B.  C.  493,  just  before  Coriolanus  rose  into 
notice. 

7 


74  XERXES. 

CHAPTER   XYII. 

XERXES.    LEONIDAS.    THERMOPYLAE. 

On  the  death  of  Darius,  his  son  Xerxes 
succeeded  to  the  throne  of  Persia.  Xerxes 
was  determined  to  pursue  his  father's  favorite 
scheme,  the  conquest  of  Greece.  He  said  he 
would  no  longer  buy  the  figs  of  Attica,  for  he 
would  make  himself  master  of  the  country, 
and  then  all  its  produce  would  belong  to  him. 
He  ordered  a  passage  to  be  cut  through  the 
high  mountain  of  Athos,  in  Macedonia,  and 
thus  made  a  canal  for  his  ships. 

He  is  said  to  have  written  a  letter  to  Mount 
Athos,  in  which  '•  he  commanded  it  not  to 
put  stones  in  the  way  of  his  workmen,  or  he 
would  cut  it  down  and  throw  it  into  the 
sea ;  "  and  he  ordered  the  laborers  to  be 
flogged,   to  make  them  work  faster. 

When  he  saw,  from  a  high  hill,  the  plain 
covered  with  his  soldiers,  and  the  sea  with 
his  ships,  in  the  pride  of  his  heart  he  called 
himself  the  most  favored  of  mortals ;  but, 
when  he  reflected  that  in  a  hundred  years  not 
one  of  the  many  thousands  he  beheld,  would 
be  alive,  he  burst  into  tears  at  the  instability 
of  all  earthly  things. 

The  Hellespont,  now  called  the  Strait  of 
the    Dardanelles,   is  about   an   English   mile 


XERXES. 


75 


across  ;  Xerxes  built  a  bridge  of  boats  over  it, 
which  a  violent  tempest  destroyed.  This 
proud  king,  in  his  fury,  ordered  chains  to  be 
cast  into  the  sea,  and  three  hundred  lashes  to 
be  given  to  the  waves,  for  presuming  to  injure 
the  works  of  the  master  of  the  ocean. 

Almost  all  the  small  cities  of  Greece  sub- 
mitted to  him,  when  he  sent  to  them  (as  was 
the  custom)  for  earth  and  water ;  which  was 
as  much  as  to  ask  them  whether  they  would 
receive  him  as  their  conqueror.  But  Sparta 
and  Athens,  with  the  small  towns  of  Thespia 
and  Platffia,  refused  to  receive  the  heralds,  or 
to  send  the  symbol  of  homage. 

Every  thing  gave  way  before  the  conquer- 
ing march  of  Xerxes,  until  he  came  to  the 
pass  of  Thermopylae.  On  this  spot  Leonidas, 
one  of  the  two  reigning  kings  of  Sparta,  with 
a  few  thousand  brave  soldiers,  awaited  his 
coming.  Xerxes,  for  four  days,  expected 
every  moment  to  hear  of  the  flight  of  this 


76  LEONIDAS. 

little  band ;  and  then  he  sent  to  desire  them 
to  give  up  their  arms.  "  Come  and  take 
them  !  "  was  the  short  answer  of  this  true 
native  of  Laconia. 

The  bravest  Persian  troops  were  ordered 
out  against  the  forces  of  Leonidas ;  but  they 
were  always  driven  back  with  disgrace. 

At  last,  a  vile  wretch  went  and  informed 
the  king  of  a  secret  path  by  which  he  could 
ascend  an  eminence  that  overlooked  the 
enemy's  camp.  The  Persians  gained  this 
advantageous  post  during  the  darkness  and 
silence  of  night ;  and  the  next  morning  the 
Greeks  discovered  that  they  had  been  be- 
trayed. Leonidas  knew  it  was  in  vain  to  expect 
his  small  army  could  now  conquer  the  end- 
less forces  of  Xerxes  ;  he  therefore  sent  away 
his  allies,  and  kept  with  him  only  his  own 
three  hundred  Lacedaemonians.  He  had  been 
told  by  the  oracle,  (that  is,  by  the  priest  or 
priestess  of  some  temple,  supposed  to  be  in- 
spired by  the  gods.)  that  either  Sparta  or  her 
king  must  perish ;  and  he  longed  to  die  for 
the  good  of  his  dear  country. 

Xerxes  marched  his  vast  army  against  this 
brave  little  band.  Leonidas  fell  among  the 
first,  bravely  fighting,  and  covered  with 
wounds.  Of  the  three  hundred  heroes,  only 
one  escaped  to  bear  to  Sparta  the  glorious 
news  that  her  valiant  warriors  had  died  in  her 
defence.  But  this  man  was  shunned  as  a 
coward,    until,   at    the    battle    of  PlatcEa,  he 


THERMOPYL^.  77 

proved  his  extraordinary  courage.  Xerxes,  to 
his  immortal  shame,  hung  up  the  dead  body 
of  the  gallant  Leonidas  on  a  gibbet.  After- 
wards, however,  a  monument  was  erected  at 
the  narrow  pass  of  Thermopylae  to  the  mem- 
ory of  the  brave  men  who  had  died  there,  not 
vanquished,  but  overcome  by  numbers  ;  for 
the  Persian  army  consisted  of  three  millions 
of  soldiers. 

The  poet  Simonides  wrote  a  couple  of  lines 
on  this  monument,  which  are  thus  translated  : 

"  Go,  passenger,  and  tell  Lacedasmon,  that 
we  died  here  in  obedience  to  her  laws  !  " 

These  heroic  Spartans  did  not  die  without 
serving  their  country;  for  they  not  only  killed 
twenty  thousand  Persians,  and  detained  the 
rest  of  the  army  for  some  time,  so  as  to  give 
their  friends  opportunity  for  preparation,  but 
by  their  valor  they  made  the  Persians  fear  the 
prowess  of  the  Greeks. 

Is  not  this  one  of  the  most  gallant  actions 
you  ever  read  of?  It  took  place  B.  C.  480; 
just  ten  years  after  the  battle  of  Marathon. 

Egypt  was  now  under  the  government  of 
Xerxes,  as  were  Macedonia  and  many  other 
countries. 


7^  THEMISTOCLES. 

CHAPTER   XVIII. 

THEMISTOCLES.    SALAMIS. 

Athens  was  now  exposed  to  the  invasion 
of  the  exulting  conqueror  ;  and  Themistocles, 
reminding  the  Athenians  that  an  oracle  had 
bidden  them  rely  for  safety  on  their  tvooden 
walls,  advised  them  to  quit  the  city  and  take 
refuge  in  their  ships.  Some  were  for  fortify- 
ing the  city  with  timber ;  but  Themistocles 
insisted  that,  as  the  ships  were  made  of  wood, 
they  alone  should  be  considered  as  the  wood- 
en walls  that  were  to  secure  Athens. 

It  must  have  been  a  moving  sight  to  see 
the  Athenians  quitting  their  beloved  city. 
The  old  men,  women,  and  children,  fled  for 
shelter  to  the  city  of  Troezene.  The  stout 
and  active  men  hastened  to  their  fleet,  which 
lay  at  Salamis. 

Cimon,  the  son  of  Miltiades,  who  was  then 
very  young,  did  all  in  his  power  to  cheer  and 
inspirit  his  fellow-citizens.  A  few  persons 
only  remained  in  Athens;  and  these  died, 
nobly  fighting,  under  the  hands  of  the  Per- 
sians. How  much  must  Xerxes  have  been 
surprised  in  beholding  this  desolate  and  de- 
serted city!  He  burnt  down  its  citadel,  and 
sent  away  its  finest  statues  and  pictures  to 
Susa,  with  the  accounts  of  his  conquests, 
Susa  was  then  the  capital  of  Persia. 


THEMISTOCLES.  79 

The  Greeks  now  concerted  what  was  best 
to  be  done ;  and,  some  dispute  arising  between 
Eurybiades,  the  Spartan,  and  Themistocles, 
Eurybiades,  in  the  moment  of  rage,  held  up 
his  truncheon,  as  if  about  to  strike  the  Athe- 
nian. Themistocles  quietly  said,  ^'  Strike, 
but  hear  me  !"  as  if  he  would  bear  any  indig- 
nity, provided  his  counsels  might  save  his 
country.  His  moderation  had  a  good  effect. 
Eurybiades  became  ashamed  of  his  violence ; 
and,  listening  more  patiently,  confessed  that 
Themistocles  proposed  the  best  plan.  In  this, 
Eurybiades  showed  his  wisdom  as  well  as  his 
magnanimity ;  and  he  deserves  our  praise  for 
owning  his  fault,  and  confessing  the  superior- 
ity of  his  opponent. 

Aristides  also  again  displayed  the  greatness 
of  his  mind.  Themistocles  commanded  the 
Athenian  fleet  at  Salamis,  and  was  not  aware 
that  in  one  night  the  Persian  fleet  had  sur- 
rounded his  ships.  Aristides  hastened  to 
inform  him  of  this  circumstance,  and  said, 
^'  Themistocles,  let  us  not  be  rivals ;  let  us 
be  friends  :  you  shall  command,  and  I  will 
obey  ;  "  and  then  he  advised  him  to  give  bat- 
tle immediately.  Themistocles  was  charmed 
with  this  generous  behavior.  Had.  not  Aris- 
tides informed  him  that  the  Persians  were 
around  his  navy,  he  would  most  likely  have 
been  overcome  by  them,  and  his  glory  would 
have  been  forever  lost ;  but  now,  by  "a  vic- 
tory, he  could  gain  immortal  fame.     All  this 


80  SALAMIS.  I 

he  owed  to  Aristides,  —  to  the  man  whom  he 
had  assisted  in  banishing  from  Athens.  He 
was  heartily  ashamed  of  his  former  mean  jeal- 
ousy, and  promised  Aristides  he  would  strive 
to  imitate  his  virtue. 

So  much  good  was  done  by  this  noble  act 
of  Aristides !  He  not  only  did  well  himself, 
but  caused  Themistocles  to  do  well  also. 

The  Athenians  attacked  the  Persian  fleet, 
and,  after  a  short  but  severe  contest,  put  it  to 
flight ;  some  of  the  vessels  were  taken,  some 
destroyed  ;  the  rest  fled.  Xerxes  had  seated 
himself  on  a  high  mountain,  that  he  might 
see  his  Persians  overcome  the  Greeks ;  but, 
when  he  saw  the  Greeks  overcome  his  Per- 
sians, he  hastened  from  his  post,  and,  with  part 
of  his  army,  proceeded  homewards.  When  he 
arrived  at  the  Hellespont,  he  found  that  his 
boasted  bridge  of  boats  had  been  broken  to 
pieces  by  the  violence  of  the  waves ;  and  this 
great  and  proud  monarch  crossed  the  strait  in 
a  little  open  boat. 

Such  was  the  end  of  the  immense  expedi- 
tion of  Xerxes !  And  thus  it  was  that  the 
Greeks  signalized  their  courage  at  the  battle 
of  Salamis,  B.  C.  480. 

Carthage,  now  rich  from  her  commerce  with 
Egypt,  Gaul,  Tyre,  and  other  places  on  the 
borders  of  the  Mediterranean  Sea,  and  draw- 
ing gold  and  silver  from  the  mines  of  Spain, 
had  made  a  treaty  with  Xerxes  to  attack  the 
Greeks  who  were  settled  in  Italy  and  Sicily, 


OELON.  81 

whilst  he  invaded  Greece  itself.  The  Car- 
thaginians, therefore,  raised  a  large  army,  and 
gave  the  command  of  it  to  Hamilcar,  who 
sailed  to  Sicily,  and  landed  at  Palermo. 

Gelon  then  commanded  in  Syracuse  ;  he 
was  a  brave  warrior,  and  so  skilfully  and  val- 
iantly opposed  the  efforts  of  Hamilcar,  that 
he  completely  conquered  the  Carthaginians. 
Hamilcar  was  killed,  his  fleet  was  burnt,  and 
his  troops  were  taken  prisoners.  This  victory 
was  gained  on  the  very  day  that  Themis- 
tocles  was  triumphant  at  Salami s  ;  so  that 
Xerxes  might  be  said  to  have  lost  two  battles 
in  one  day. 

Gelon,  as  a  reward  for  his  great  exertions, 
was  crowned  king  by  the  grateful  Syracu- 
sans  ,'  and  Gisco,  the  son  of  Hamilcar,  was 
banished  by  the  Carthaginians,  because  his 
father  had  been  unsuccessful ;  as  if  it  were 
possible  for  a  general  to  command  the  issue 
of  battles !  Hamilcar  had  probably  done  his 
best,  and  certainly  had  died  for  his  country. 

The  Athenians  joyfully  returned  to  their 
city ;  and,  when  Themistocles  found  the  Per- 
sian army  no  longer  to  be  dreaded,  he  went 
to  Athens,  and  directed  its  repairs. 


82  CIMON.       EURYMEDON. 

CHAPTER   XIX, 

CIMON.    EURYMEDON. 

OiMONj  the  son  of  Miltiades,  was  as  re- 
nowned as  his  father.  He  was  joined  with 
Aristides,  at  one  time,  in  the  command  of  the 
Athenians ;  and  Cimon  was  the  general  who 
fought  two  battles  against  the  Persians  on  the 
same  day,  and  won  them  both;  a  battle  by- 
sea,  and  a  battle  by  land,  at  the  mouth  of  the 
River  Eurymedon.  Yet  did  these  strange 
people,  the  Athenians,  on  a  slight  pretext, 
banish  Cimon  by  the  ostracism  for  ten  years, 
which  was  the  usual  term  of  the  exile  de- 
creed. Before  this  happened,  besides  gaining 
more  than  one  victory  for  Athens,  he  had 
greatly  improved  the  city  :  he  planted  groves 
and  formed  shady  walks ;  he  erected  noble 
places  for  exercise  and  public  speaking,  ^s- 
chylus  and  Sophocles,  two  famous  tragic 
poets,  recited  their  pieces  before  Cimon ;  and 
because  the  prize  was  adjudged  to  Sophocles, 
the  younger  of  the  two,  -3Eschylus,  was  so 
much  vexed  that  he  left  Athens  and  never 
returned. 

Themistocles,  in  his  turn,  was  also  ban- 
ished, but  he  did  not  calmly  submit  to  this 
injustice ;  for  he  went  to  the  king  of  Persia, 
and   offered   to   serve   him   in   any  way   he 


ARISTIDES.  83 

pleased.  Artaxerxes  was  then  king  of  Per- 
sia ;  Xerxes  was  dead,  and  this  was  his  third 
son.  He  did  not  immediately  employ  The- 
mistocles ;  and  afterwards,  when  he  wished 
to  make  him  his  general  against  Cimon  and 
the  Athenians,  it  is  said  Themistocles  was 
so  unwilling  to  fight  against  his  native  coun- 
try, and  yet  so  desirous  to  oblige  his  royal 
benefactor,  that,  to  avoid  ingratitude  to  either, 
he  killed  himself. 

Aristides  died  in  peace,  at  a  good  old  age, 
beloved  and  honored  by  his  fellow-citizens, 
and  perhaps  more  respected  by  posterity  than 
any  man  that  ever  lived.  His  life  is  rich  in 
anecdotes  of  virtue ;  you  will  read  it  with 
equal  pleasure  and  profit.  Two  little  stories 
more  about  him  I  must  relate. 

Once,  when  he  was  carrying  on  a  prosecu- 
tion, and  sentence  was  about  to  be  pronounced 
before  the  accused  had  spoken,  Aristides  en- 
treated that  the  man  might  be  heard  in  his 
defence,  and  even  helped  him  to  make  it. 
Another  time,  when  he  was  judge,  a  trial 
came  before  him,  in  which  one  of  the  parties 
thought  to  irritate  him  against  the  other,  by 
declaring  that  he  had  said  and  done  many 
injurious  things  towards  Aristides.  "  Do  not 
talk  about  that,"  said  Aristides;  "tell  me  only 
what  harm  he  has  done  to  thee  ;  it  is  thy  cause 
I  am  judging." 

Courage,  fortitude,  forbearance,  are  all  great 
and  shining  virtues ;  but  truth  and  justice  are 


84  CIMON. 

greater  and  more  glorious.  Truth  and  justice 
are  the  greatest  virtues. 

After  Cimon  had  been  recalled  by  the  Athe- 
nians, they  gave  him  the  command  of  the 
army  that  was  marching  against  Artaxerxes  ; 
but  he  died,  either. from  a  wound  or  from 
sickness,  soon  after  he  set  out  on  this  expedi- 
tion. 

Athens  and  Sparta  were  now  on  friendly 
terms,  and  assisted  each  other  in  their  several 
wars. 

The  Amphictyonic  council  was  a  meeting, 
to  which  all  the  cities  of  Greece  sent  mem- 
bers, to  consider  and  decide  matters  important 
to  the  peace  and  comfort  of  all  the  states. 

Amphictyon,  the  third  king  of  Athens,  is  the 
reputed  founder  of  this  council.  It  met  twice 
a  year,  at  Thermopylse,  and  twelve  cities  sent 
deputies  to  it.  The  first  meeting  was  B.  C. 
1522 ;  afterwards,  other  cities  deputed  mem- 
bers to  it. 


CHAPTER   XX. 

AGRARIAN    LAW.    CINCINNATUS. 

Soon  after  Coriolanus  had  consented  to  save 
Rome  by  drawing  off  the  Volscian  army,  one 
of  the  consuls,  Sp.  Cassius,  endeavored  to 
make  a  law  for  an  equal  division  of  the  lands 


CINCINNATUS.  85 

gained  by  conquest.  This  was  called  the 
Agrarian  Law,  from  ager^  the  Latin  for  field j 
or  land.  The  poor  were  in  favor  of  this  law 
as  much  as  the  rich  were  against  it ;  but 
though  it  was  often  talked  of,  yet  it  was 
never  thoroughly  carried  into   effect. 

The  mention  of  any  proposal  for  bringing 
in  the  Agrarian  law  always  produced  commo- 
tions in  Rome.  The  notice  of  any  new  laws, 
indeed,  generally  caused  disputes  between  the 
poor  and  the  rich.  In  one  of  these  quarrels, 
Caeso,  a  spirited  young  man,  acted  with  so 
much  violence,  that  he  was  condemned  to 
pay  a  very  large  sum  of  money  as  a  fine  for 
his  misbehavior. 

His  old  father  sold  all  he  was  worth,  to 
raise  the  demanded  sum,  and  then  retired  to 
a  small  cottage  on  the  banks  of  the  Tiber. 
The  Tiber,  you  know,  is  the  river  that  flows 
through  Rome.  You  will  see  what  happened 
to  this  honest  man,  Quinctius  Cincinnatus,  the 
father  of  the  rash  Cseso. 

When  the  Romans  were  in  any  great  emer- 
gency, it  was  their  custom  to  create  a  Dicta- 
tor ;  that  is,  a  supreme  officer,  who  should 
dictate  what  was  to  be  done,  and  who  was  to 
be  instantly  and  implicitly  obeyed.  The  first 
Dictator  was  Lartius.  About  forty  years  after 
his  dictatorship,  Rome  was  in  fear  and  confu- 
sion from  the  approach  of  a  successful  enemy ; 
and,  as  it  was  necessary  to  have  a  Dictator, 
Cincinnatus  was  fixed  upon,  as  the  wisest  and 
8 


86  CINCINNATUS. 

bravest  man  belonging  to  the  common- 
wealth. 

This  Cincinnatus,  who  was  called  upon  to 
save  Rome  from  destruction,  cultivated  a 
small  farm  of  four  acres  with  his  own  hands. 
The  deputies  of  the  senate  found  him  fol- 
lowing his  plough,  in  one  of  his  little  fields. 
They  begged  him  to  put  on  his  gown,  and 
hear  the  message  from  the  senate.  Cincin- 
natus anxiously  asked,  ''  if  all  was  well ;  " 
and  then  desired  his  wife  Racilia  to  fetch  his 
gown  from  their  cottage.  After  wiping  off 
the  dust  and  dirt  with  which  he  was  covered, 
he  put  on  his  robe,  and  went  to  the  deputies. 
They  then  saluted  him  as  Dictator,  and  bade 
him  hasten  to  the  city,  which  was  in  the 
greatest  peril.     B.  C.  458. 

A  handsome  barge  had  been  sent  to  carry 
Cincinnatus  over  the  river ;  for  his  farm  lay 
on  the  opposite  side  of  the  Tiber.  His  three 
sons,  with  his  friends  and  several  of  the  sen- 
ators, were  ready  to  receive  him  when  he 
landed  at  Rome,  and  to  carry  him  in  a  pom- 
pous procession  to  the  house  prepared  for  him. 
The  very  next  morning,  he  began  to  fortify 
the  city  and  marshal  the  soldiers  for  battle  ; 
and  he  very  soon  gained  a  great  victory,  and 
made  the  officers  of  the  enemy  pass  under 
the  jugum,  or  yoke. 

This  yoke  was  a  kind  of  gallows,  made  of 
three  spears ;  two  firmly  fixed  upright  in  the 
ground,  and  the  third  laid  across  them.     To 


CINCINNATUS. 


87 


pass  under  this  was  considerea  a  very  great 
disgrace. 

Cincinnatus,  having  completed  the  duty  for 
which  he  had  been  called  from  his  plough, 
modestly  resigned  the  dictatorship  at  the  end 
of  sixteen  days,  though  he  might  have  held 
it  for  six  months.  But  he  liked  power  only 
whilst  it  made  him  useful.  He  was  again 
chosen  Dictator  when  he  was  upwards  of 
eighty;  and  he  then  also  acted  with  vigor 
and  wisdom. 


83  THE    DECEMVIRI. 

CHAPTER   XXI. 

THE  DECEMVIRI.    VIRGINLL 

Yert  soon  after  the  first  dictatorship  of 
Cincinnatiis,  the  people  agreed  that  Rome 
wanted  new  laws.  They  had  heard  of  the 
excellent  laws  of  Solon  j  so  three  persons 
were  sent  to  Athens,  to  obtain  a  copy  of 
them,  and  to  learn  the  customs  pf  the  other 
states  of  Greece. 

When  these  deputies  returned  to  Rome, 
a  new  form  of  government  took  place ;  and, 
instead  of  two  consuls,  ten  magistrates,  called 
Decemviri,  ruled  in  the  city.  The  deputies 
were  of  the  number ;  and  the  Decemviri,  with 
great  care,  formed  a  body  of  laws,  which  was 
long  preserved  and  acted  upon,  and  is  to  this 
day  admired  and  respected  in  many  parts  of 
Europe. 

The  government  under  the  Decemviri  lasted 
only  three  years  j  and  you  shall  hear  what  a 
tragical  story  caused  its  dissolution.  Appiu^ 
Claudius,  one  of  the  ten,  fell  in  love  with  a 
beautiful  girl,  named  Virginia:  she  was  en- 
gaged to  marry  Icilius,  a  brave  man,  and 
would  not  listen  to  the  suit  of  Appius.  To 
prevent  this  marriage,  and  obtain  possession 
of  the  lovely  virgin,  he  procured  a  man,  also 
called  Claudius,  a  very  worthless  fellow,  to 


VIRGINIA.  89 

take  a  false  oath,  and  to  swear  that  Virginia 
was  his  slave.  The  matter,  Appius  knew, 
would  be  brought  before  him  as  judge  ;  and, 
by  giving  an  unjust  sentence,  he  could  assign 
the  poor  girl  to  Claudius,  and  then  make  the 
base  Claudius  give  her  to  him. 

Virginia  was  dreadfully  frightened,  you 
may  be  sure,  when  she  found  herself  seized 
by  the  cruel  Claudius ;  and  when  he  carried 
her  before  Appius,  and  swore  that  she  was 
his  slave,  that  she  had  been  born  in  his  house, 
and  had  been  stolen  from  him  by  Virginius ! 

The  people  were  confounded,  and  knew 
not  whom  to  believe  ;  for  the  trembling  Vir- 
ginia, and  her  nurse,  loudly  asserted  that 
Claudius  was  swearing  falsely. 
l^^/'When  Icilius,  her  lover,  tried  to  interfere, 
Appius  commanded  him  to  be  driven  away ; 
and  Virginius  was  at  a  ^distance  with  the 
army,  as  Appius  very  well  knew.  But  the 
struggles  of  Icilius  caused  such  an  uproar, 
that  the  decision  of  the  affair  Was  left  to  the 
next  day.  Appius  had  sent  orders  that  Vir- 
ginius should  not  be  allowed  to  quit  the 
camp  ;  but  Icilius  had  been  beforehand  with 
him,  for  he  had  already  informed  Virginius 
of  the  affair,  and  the  poor  father  had  left  the 
army  before  the  orders  for  his  detention  had 
reached  it. 

The  next  morning  Virginius  appeared  in 
the  forum,  the  place  of  public  business, 
dressed  in  deep  mourning,  leading  his  weep- 


90  VIRGINIA. 

ing  daughter.  He  told  his  true  and  simple 
tale  —  that  Virginia  was  his  child,  but  that  the 
wicked  Appius  loved  her,  and  desired  to  gain 
possession  of  her.  Appius,  being  one  of  the 
Decemviri,  had  unfortunately  so  much  influ- 
ence, that  the  beautiful  Virginia  was  decreed 
to  be  the  slave  of  Claudius,  and  as  such  or- 
dered to  go  to  him. 

Think  of  the  despair  of  the  poor  girl,  of 
the  agony  of  her  lover,  of  the  distraction  of 
her  father  !  The  guards  approached  to  seize 
and  present  her  to  Claudius.  Appius  thought 
the  day  was  his  own ;  and  enjoyed  the  view 
of  the  misery  he  had  caused. 

Virginius,  seeing  that  he  could  not  preserve 
his  innocent  child  from  the  grasp  of  the  hate- 
ful Decemvir,  now  begged  to  give  her  his 
parting  embrace.  His  request  was  granted. 
He  clasped  his  child  in  his  arms,  while  she 
clung  round  his  neck  and  bathed  his  cheek 
with  her  tears. 

At  last  Virginius,  tenderly  kissing  her,  be- 
fore he  raised  his  head,  suddenly  plunged  a 
dagger  into  her  bosom,  saying,  "  Oh !  my 
child,  by  this  means  only  can  I  give  thee 
freedom !  "  He  then  held  up  the  bloody  in- 
strument to  the  now  pale  and  affrighted  Ap- 
pius, exclaiming,  "  By  this  innocent  blood, 
Appius,  I  devote  thy  head  to  the  infernal 
gods  !  " 

All  was  now  horror  and  confusion.  Icilius 
showed    the    dead    body   to   the   people,   and 


TIRGINIA.  91 

roused  their  fury ;  Virginius  hastened  to  the 
camp,  bearing  with  him  the  dagger  reeking 
with  his  daughter's  blood ;  and  instantly  the 
army  was  in  an  uproar. 

The  power  of  the  Decemviri  and  the  sen- 
ators could  not  still  the  tumult.  Appius  ran 
away  and  hid  himself  A  liar  is  always  a 
coward.  Public  tranquillity  was  at  last  pur- 
chased, by  the  senate  consenting  to  abolish 
the  Decemviri,  and  allowing  Rome  to  be 
governed  by  consuls  and  tribunes,  as  before. 
This  happened  B.  C.  449. 

Military  tribunes  and  censors  were  first 
created  soon  after  the  abolition  of  the  De- 
cemviri. 


'^  CHAPTER    XXII. 

PERICLES.    PELOPONNESIAN  WAR. 

Pericles  was  younger  than  Cimoh,  when 
they  divided  the  authority  in  Athens  between 
them. 

Pericles  was  remarkable  for  the  dignity  of 
his  manners  and  the  elegance  of  his  speech. 
The  period  in  which  he  lived  is  sometimes 
called  "  the  Age  of  Pericles,"  because  it  was 
distinguished  by  many  clever  men,  and  by 
the  erection  of  several  beautiful  buildings  in 
Athens.     When  some  persons  complained  that 


92  PERICLES. 

Pericles  spent  too  much  of  the  public  money 
in  beautifying  the  city,  he  went  into  the  as- 
sembly of  the  people,  and  asked,  ''  whether 
indeed  they  thought  him  extravagant."  The 
people  said,  ''Yes."- — '^  Then  place  the  ex- 
pense to  my  charge,"  answered  Pericles  ;  "  only 
let  the  new  buildings  be  marked  with  my  name 
instead  of  yours."  The  people  were  either  so 
pleased  with  the  spirit  of  this  reply,  or  so 
jealous  of  the  fame  Pericles  might  acquire, 
that  they  cried  out,  "  he  might  spend  as  much 
as  he  pleased  of  the  public  treasures." 

Euripides,  the  great  tragic  poet,  and  Phid- 
ias, the  greatest  sculptor  that  ever  lived, 
flourished  at  this  time.  Pericles  befriended 
and  protected  these  eminent  men  ;  and  cer- 
tainly nothing  can  be  more  laudable  than  for 
persons  who  have  power  and  wealth  to  be 
kind  and  generous  to  those  who  have  what  is 
more  precious  than  either ;  for  skill  in  writing, 
or  painting,  or  sculpture,  or  any  other  art  or 
science,  being  self-earned,  is  more  honorable 
and  valuable  than  gold  or  titles,  which  chance 
often  bestows. 

But  the  circumstance  the  most  honorable 
to  Pericles  was  that  to  which  himself  alluded 
when  he  was  dying.  The  friends  who  sur- 
rounded his  death-bed,  thinking  him  senseless 
and  incapable  of  hearing  and  understanding 
what  they  said,  spoke  of  all  he  had  done  for 
Athens  —  the  victories  he  had  gained,  the  fine 
edifices  he  had  erected  or  embellished.     Per- 


PERICLES.  93 

ieles,  though  faint  and  expiring;  heard  these 
remarks,  and  exerted  himself  to  utter  these 
wordSi:-VI  am  surprised  that,  when  you  extol 
my  actions,  you  omit  to  notice  the  most  hon- 
orable part  of  my  character,  that  through  my 
means  no  Athenian  ever  put  on  mourning. ^^ 

His  never  having  given  cause  for  sorrow  to 
a  fellow-citizen,  was  indeed  a  matter  worthy 
of  praise,  and  seems  to  have  been  most  con- 
soling to  him  at  the  hour  of  death.  Thus, 
you  see,  virtuous  deeds  are  more  pleasing  in 
the  recollection  than  feats  of  valor  or  acts  of 
splendid  ambition. 

The  Athenians ,,  raised  Thucydides,  the  his- 
torian, the  brother-in-law  of  Cimon,  to  oppose 
the  growing  power  of  Pericles ;  but  Pericles 
caused  Thucydides  to  be  banished  by  the 
ostracism,  and  then  he  was  the  greatest  man 
in  the  city.  ;For. forty  yeai;s  he  secured  an 
unbounded  authority.  Athens  was  at  this 
time  considered  in  its  highest  state  of  elegance 
and  knowledgf,  and,  with  Sparta,  ranked  as 
the  first  of  the  cities  of  Greece. 

A  quarrel  between  the  cities  of  Athens 
and  Corinth,  respecting  a  colony  of  the  lat- 
ter settled  at  Corcyra,  produced  a  war  in 
Greece,  known  in  history  by  the  name  of 
the  :"  Peloponnesian  war."  ^ It  continued  for 
twenty-eight  years ;  Sparta,  taking  the  part 
of  Corinth,  headed  one  side ;  and  Athens,  as 
the  friend- .  of  Corcyra,  headed  the  other. 
The:  several  citiea  pf  Greece  were  the  alUes 


94  ALCIBIADES.       SOCRATES. 

of  one  or  other  of  these  two  great   leading 

powers.  „    ,    ,      TVT 

That  part  of  Greece  now  called  the  Morea, 
was  formerly  entitled  Peloponnesus,  whence 
this  celebrated  contest  obtained  its  name. 
After  various  success,  the  Spartans  finally  tri- 
umphed;  their  general,  Lysander,  reducmg 
the  Athenians  to  submission,  and  taking  their 
city,  as  you  will  see  in  the  next  chapter. 


CHAPTER   XXIIL 

ALCIBIADES.    SOCRATES. 

It  was  very  usual,  in  Athens,  for  the  young 
men  to  attach  themselves,  as  pupils  and  disci- 
ples, to  the  sages  and  philosophers  —  an  excel- 
lent practice,  because  it  throws  youth  in  the 
way  of  profiting  by  the  wisdom  and  experience 
of  age.  Alcibiades,  when  very  young,  was  a 
follower  and  an  admirer  of  Socrates,  one  of 
the  most  celebrated  men  of  Greece.  Though 
Alcibiades  was  sometimes  wild,  and  deserted 
the  precepts  and  the  company  of  his  master, 
yet,  the  moment  Socrates  found  him  again,  he 
was  all  submission  and  attachment. 

A  noble  action  is  recorded  of  this  singular 
young  man.  In  the  heat  of  passion,  he  one 
day  struck   an   elderly  and  very  respectable 


ALCIBIADES.  95 

Athenian :  the  beholders  naturally  expressed 
their  indignation  at  this  insolent  and  most 
unworthy  outrage.  Alcibiades,  touched  and 
ashamed,  hastened  to  the  person  he  had  insult- 
ed, and,  handing  him  a  cane,  offered  to  sub- 
mit himself  to  deserved  chastisement.  The 
old  man  was  so  much  pleased  with  the  candor 
and  spirit  of  the  young  offender,  that  he  not 
only  pardoned  him,  but  soon  afterwards  gave 
him  his  daughter  in  marriage. 

There  are  no  circumstances,  even  of  dis- 
grace, in  which  human  beings  cannot  act  with 
honor  and  virtue. 

With  many  shining  virtues,  Alcibiades  had 
many  defects;  he  was  fond  of  power,  and 
very  jealous  of  any  one  who  gained  the  public 
applause.  Nicias,  a  very  able  general,  (who 
had  principally  procured  the  long  peace  with 
Sparta,  so  that  it  was  called  the  "  peace  of 
Nicias,")  was  disliked  by  Alcibiades,  because 
he  was  much  beloved  by  the  Athenians.  The 
peace  having  been  broken,  war  was  renewed 
between  these  cities. 

Alcibiades  persuaded  the  Athenians  to  try 
the  conquest  of  Sicily,  and  was  sent  as  gen- 
eral of  the  troops,  Nicias  being  ordered  to  go 
with  him.  When  they  were  gone,  the  ene- 
mies of  Alcibiades  raised  an  accusation  against 
him,  and  the  fickle  people  directed  him  to  re- 
turn immediately.  Alcibiades,  fearing  to  re- 
turn whilst  the  Athenians  were  so  incensed 
against  him,  fled  secretly  ;  and  when  he  was 


96  ALCIBIADES; 

told  that,  for  his  disobedi^ncev  all  his  property 
had  been  confiscatedj  (that  is,  taken  for  the 
use  of  the  state,)  and  that  he  was  himself 
condemned  to  death,  he  exclaimed,  "I  will 
show  them  that  I  am  alive !  " 

Nicias  managed  matters  so  skilfully,  that  he 
was  on  the  point  of  taking  Syracuse,  when 
the  alarmed  Syracusans  were  cheered  with 
news  that  the  Lacedasmonians  were  coming 
to  their  assistance.  They  then  exerted  them- 
selves more  earnestly ;  and  the  Spartans  ar- 
riving, after  many  desperate  conflicts,  Nicias, 
in  attempting  to  escape  with  his  fleet  to  Ath- 
ens, was  conquered  by  the  Syracusans;  his 
soldiers  were  made  prisoners,  and  himself  was 
massacred.  Nicias  had  never  approved  of  this 
expedition,  but  he  did  his  utmost  for  its  suc- 
cess when  it  was  undertaken ;  and  one  cannot 
help  lamenting  his  very  undeserved  fate. 

Alcibiades  first  fled  to  Argos,  and  next  to 
Sparta,  where  he  gained  all  hearts,  by  con- 
forming to  their  plain  dress  and  simple  food. 
But  Agis,  who  was  then  king  of  Sparta,  saw 
that  Alcibiades  was  aff'ecting  to  appear  what 
he  was  not ;  and,  as  all  art  and  cunning  are 
despicable,  Agis  disapproved  of  the  crafty 
Alcibiades,  who,  seeing  this,  quitted  Sparta, 
and  went  for  protection  to  Tissaphernes,  a 
Persian  grandee.  Here,  by  the  elegance  of 
his  manners,  and  the  charms  of  his  conversa- 
tion, he  obtained  universal  admiration. 

Athens  was  now  governed  by  a  council  of 


ALCIBIADES.  97 

four  hundred ;  and  the  tyranny  of  these  was 
so  great,  that  Alcibiades  was  sent  for,  to  assist 
in  restoring  the  liberty  of  the  people.  The 
Spartans,  with  some  vessels,  were  watching 
the  city,  to  take  advantage  of  the  confusion 
that  distracted  it ;  but  Alcibiades,  with  a  small 
fleet,  which  he  had  collected  at  Samos,  at- 
tacked the  Spartans,  destroyed  their  ships,  and 
soon  after  entered  Athens  in  triumph. 

The  Athenians  being  again  displeased  with 
Alcibiades,  he  left  the  city,  to  avoid  their  dis- 
pleasure. But  when  he  heard  that  Lysander, 
the  Spartan  general,  was  artfully  planning  to 
conquer  the  Athenians,  he  returned  to  give 
the  commanders  of  Athens  notice  of  what 
was  going  on  against  them.  They  treated 
his  opinion  with  contempt,  and  ordered  him 
to  quit  the  camp. 

The  Athenians  used  every  morning  to  put 
out  their  fleet  to  sea,  and  feigned  to  threaten 
the  Spartans  with  battle ;  but  every  night 
they  returned  to  their  own  station,  and,  moor- 
ing their  vessels  to  the  shore,  the  soldiers  and 
sailors  dispersed  about  the  country,  and  spent 
the  evening  in  mirth  and  jollity.  Lysander 
allowed  them  to  do  this  several  times,  without 
offering  battle,  to  make  them  believe  he  feared 
them.  But,  one  night,  Avhen,  as  usual,  the 
Athenians  had  quitted  their  ships,  and  were 
scattered  far  from  them,  Lysander,  with  his 
fleet,  bore  down  upon  the  Athenian  force,  and, 
in  the  moment  of  hurry  and  confusion,  de- 
9 


98  ALCIBIADES.        SOCRATES. 

stroyed  their  vessels,  and  took  three  thousand 
prisoners. 

He  next  proceeded  to  Athens,  gained  pos- 
session of  it,  burnt  down  the  houses,  and  de- 
molished the  walls.  It  is  said  that  Lysander 
was  so  cruel  as  to  add  insulj;  to  misfortune,  by 
ordering  music  to  be  played  whilst  the  walls 
were  destroyed. 

Alcibiades  now  retired  to  a  small  village  in 
Phrygia,  where  he  lived  with  a  woman  named 
Timandra.  The  Spartans  persuaded  the  Per- 
sians to  destroy  him :  a  party  of  soldiers  was 
sent  for  this  purpose  to  his  house  ;  but,  fearing 
his  known  courage,  they  dared  not  enter,  and 
therefore  set  fire  to  the  building.  Alcibiades 
rushed  out,  and  the  cowardly  barbarians,  from 
a  distance,  killed  him  with  darts  and  arrows. 
Timandra  buried  the  corpse  decently,  and  was 
the  only  mourner  of  this  once  powerful  man. 

Not  long  after  the  death  of  Alcibiades,  his 
friend  and  tutor,  Socrates,  was  put  to  death. 
As  a  private  citizen,  a  skilful  artist,  a  brave 
soldier,  an  upright  magistrate,  and  a  profound 
philosopher,  Socrates  attained  a  proud  emi- 
nence in  the  Athenian  republic  :  he  was  hon- 
ored and  beloved  by  all  men  during  a  long 
life  ;  but,  in  his  old  age,  men  jealous  of  his 
fame  excited  a  cabal  against  him,  and  he  was 
condemned  to  death  as  an  impious  and  profane 
person. 

Socrates  was  born  of  poor  parents ;  but  he 
was  never  ashamed  of  his  origin.     He   was 


SOCRATES.  99 

brought  up  to  his  father's  profession  of  a  stat- 
uary ;  and,  although  he  had  a  great  dishke  to 
the  trade,  he  executed  a  group  of  the  Graces, 
which  was  universally  admired,  and  obtained 
a  place  in  the  Acropolis,  or  citadel  of  Athens. 

The  study  of  philosophy  had  greater  charms 
for  Socrates  than  any  fame  he  might  have  ac- 
quired as  an  artist ;  and,  after  some  years  of 
alternate  labor  at  his  business  and  mental  im- 
provement, he  attracted  the  notice  of  Crito,  a 
rich  and  generous  Athenian,  who  took  him 
from  his  workshop,  and  intrusted  him  with 
the  instruction  of  his  children.  This  change 
enabled  Socrates  to  attend  the  public  lectures 
of  the  most  celebrated  philosophers,  which  in- 
creased his  ardor  in  the  pursuit  of  knowledge  ; 
and,  under  Anaxagoras  and  Archelaus,  he  laid 
the  foundation  of  that  exemplary  virtue,  which 
succeeding  ages  have  always  loved  and  rev- 
erenced. 

During  the  Peloponnesian  war,  Socrates,  in 
common  with  the  rest  of  his  countrymen,  ap- 
peared in  the  field  of  battle,  where  he  fought 
with  boldness  and  intrepidity ;  and  to  his 
courage,  two  of  his  friends  and  disciples,  Al- 
cibiades  and  Xenophon,  owed  the  preservation 
of  their  lives.  The  former,  at  the  siege  of 
Potidaga,  had  fallen  down  severely  wounded, 
and  was  on  the  point  of  being  destroyed  by 
the  enemy,  when  Socrates,  rushing  between 
them,  saved  both  Alcibiades  and  his  arms. 
The  prize  of  valor,  which  the  generals  usually 


100  SOCRATES. 

bestowed  on  the  man  who  had  fought  best, 
undoubtedly  belonged  to  Socrates ;  but  he 
was  the  first  to  vote  it  to  his  young  friend, 
Alcibiades,  by  way  of  encouragement  to  his 
rising  merit. 

In  his  second  campaign,  when  engaged  in 
an  expedition  against  the  Boeotians,  he  dis- 
played the  generous  bravery  of  his  character 
in  many  instances.  On  one  occasion,  when 
the  Athenians  were  obliged  to  give  way  before 
their  enemies,  Socrates,  as  he  slowly  retreated, 
observed  Xenophon  upon  the  ground,  covered 
with  wounds.     Immediately,  reckless  of  his 


own  safety,  he  raised  his  friend,  and  carried 
him  a  considerable  distance,  at  the  s'ame  time 
defending  him  till  all  pursuit  was  over. 

Socrates  served  once  more  in  a  military  ca- 


SOCRATES.  101 

pacity,  in  an  expedition  against  Amphipolis; 
but  after  that  he  never  left  Athens.  He  served 
his  country  in  a  civil  capacity,  but  would  ac- 
cept no  office  till  he  was  turned  of  sixty  years 
of  age. 

The  character  of  Socrates  appears  more  con- 
spicuous as  a  philosopher  and  a  moralist,  than 
as  a  warrior  or  a  magistrate.  In  the  latter  ca- 
pacity, indeed,  he  shines  in  our  estimation, 
because  he  was  a  philosopher,  and,  when  pos- 
sessed of  power,  gave  practical  effect  to  his 
precepts.  With  his  countrymen,  however,  it 
was  otherwise.  His  dazzling  virtue  was  too 
resplendent  for  their  enslaved  and  degraded 
minds ;  and,  when  they  found  him  opposing 
the  popular  outcry  against  certain  commanders 
who  were  unjustly  condemned  to  death,  they 
began  to  hate  him ;  and  Aristophanes,  who 
undertook  to  ridicule  him  on  the  stage,  was 
generally  patronized.  Imboldened  by  this 
success,  his  enemies  stood  forth  to  criminate 
him.  He  was  accused  of  corrupting  the  Athe- 
nian youth,  and  of  despising  the  gods  of  the 
state.  False  as  this  might  appear,  the  accusers 
relied  for  the  success  of  their  cause  upon  the 
perjury  of  false  witnesses,  and  the  envy  and  ig- 
norance of  the  judges.  Nor  was  their  expec- 
tation disappointed :  Socrates  was  condemned 
to  die,  and  hurried  to  prison,  where  he  was 
loaded  witti  chains.  On  account  of  a  reli- 
gious observance  which  happened  just  at  tliat 
time,  during  which  it  was  not  lawful  to  put  a 
9* 


102  SOCRATES.       ARISTIPPUS. 

criminal  to  death,  the  execution  was  deferred 
for  thirty  days.  During  that  interval,  his 
friends  and  disciples  were  his  constant  attend- 
ants ;  and  when  one  of  the  latter  was  lament- 
ing that  his  master  should  die  innocent^  Soc- 
rates rebuked  him,  by  saying,  '^  Would  you 
have  me   die  guilty  1  " 

He  was  condemned  to  drink  the  juice  of 
hemlock.  Hemlock,  you  know,  is  a  very 
poisonous  plant :  its  juice  soon  caused  the 
death  of  the  aged  Socrates  ;  who  continued 
calmly  conversing  with  his  friends,  and  giving 
them  good  advice  to  the  last  moment  of  his 
life.  Death,  you  see,  is  not  terrible  to  the 
innocent  and  virtuous. 

After  the  death  of  Socrates,  his  school  was 
divided  into  several  classes,  or  sects,  one  of 
which,  the  Cyrenaic,  was  founded  by  Aristip^ 
pus,  a  native  of  Cyrene,  from  which  place  the 
sect  had  its  name. 

Of  his  early  days,  little  more  is  known  than 
that  his  parents  sent  him,  first,  to  the  Olym- 
pic Games,  and,  secondly,  to  Athens,  that  he 
might  become  a  pupil  of  Socrates. 

Very  soon  after  his  admission  to  the  philos- 
opher's school,  Aristippus  gave  evidence  of 
superior  talents ;  but,  brilliant  as  these  were, 
his  mind  was  not  sound  enough  for  such  doc- 
trines as  those  of  Socrates.  He  had  been 
nurtured  in  luxury ;  and,  so  far  frOm  entering 
into  the  notion  of  his  master,  that  virtue  af- 
fords the  highest  happiness,  he  asserted,  that 


ARISTIPPUS.  103 

pleasure  alone  was  happiness,  and  therefore 
the  constant  end  of  all  our  actions.  Senti- 
ments of  this  character,  added  to  great  affec- 
tation of  outward  show  and  self-indulgence, 
gave  offence  to  the  whole  school ;  so  that,  at 
length,  he  was  obliged  to  leave  Athens. 

Repairing  to  Sicily,  he  became  one  of  the 
flatterers  of  Dionysius,  tyrant  of  Syracuse, 
complying  with  all  his  wishes,  and  appear- 
ing to  make  whatever  happened  to  be  the 
best ;  his  object  being  to  enjoy  present  pleas- 
ure without  any  concern  for  the  past  or  fu- 
ture. 

He  flourished  about  B.  C.  365 ;  and  was 
more  remarkable  for  pithy  sentences  and 
prompt  repartees   than  for  true   wisdom. 


CHAPTER   XXIV. 

RETREAT  OF  THE  TEN  THOUSAND  GREEKS. 
XENOPHON. 

You  have  heard  of  one  Cyrus ;  I  will  now 
tell  you  of  another.  About  one  hundred  and 
thirty  years  after  the  death  of  Cyrus  the 
Great,  son  of  Cambyses,  king  of  Persia,  an- 
other Cyrus  lived  in  Persia :  he  was  the  son 
of  Darius  Ochus,  and  was  jealous  because  his 
elder  brother,  Artaxerxes,  ascended  the  throne. 


104  RETKEAT    OF    THE 

He  even  tried  to  prevent  this,  but  his  intrigues 
were  discovered :  the  king,  nevertheless,  gen- 
erously pardoned  him,  and  gave  him  a  com- 
mand in  a  distant  province. 

When  Cyrus  was  only  twenty-three  years 
of  age,  he  began  to  plot  against  his  brother, 
and  prevailed  upon  the  states  of  Greece  to 
send  troops  to  assist  him  in  dethroning  Arta- 
xerxes.  Clearchus,  a  Lacedcemonian,  who  had 
been  banished  from  Sparta,  and  had  taken 
refuge  with  Cyrus,  was  the  principal  general 
of  the  Greeks.  The  soldiers  did  not  know 
whom  they  were  going  to  fight ;  and,  when 
they  were  told  that  it  was  for  one  brother 
against  another,  they  loudly  complained. 

At  length,  a  great  battle  was  fought  between 
the  brothers,  at  Cunaxa,  a  town  about  twenty- 
five  leagues  from  Babylon.  A  league,  you 
know,  is  three  miles.  Cyrus  had  one  hundred 
and  thirteen  thousand  soldiers,  and  Artaxerxes 
had  twelve  hundred  thousand.  Think  what 
an  immense  crowd  of  human  beings  were 
here  assembled,  with  the  determination  of 
slaughtering  each  other ! 

Both  armies  had  chariots  armed  with 
scythes.  The  scythes  were  so  fixed  as  to 
cut  down  all  they  approached,  as  the  chariot 
rolled  along.  Cyrus,  gaining  some  advantage, 
fancied  he  had  won  the  battle,  and  was  hailed 
as  king  by  his  friends;  but,  Artaxerxes  return- 
ing to  the  charge,  Cyrus  hastened  towards 
him.     The  brothers  attacked  each  other,  and, 


TEN  THOUSAND  GREEKS.         105 

after  a  fierce  encounter,  Cyrus  was  killed,  and 
his  army  put  to  flight,  B.  C.  401. 

Clearchus  and  the  Greeks,  having  conquered 
in  that  part  of  the  field  where  they  were  placed, 
retired  in  good  order,  expecting  Cyrus  every 
moment  to  join  as  conqueror.  When  it  was 
known  that  this  ambitious  young  prince  was 
dead,  Artaxerxes  sent  to  the  Greeks  to  desire 
them  to  surrender  ;  but  this  they  refused,  and 
boldly  assured  the  king  they  would  not  be  his 
prisoners. 

Clearchus,  after  some  time,  was  prevailed 
upon  to  trust  himself  among  the  Persians ;  and 
they  basely  delivered  him  up  to  the  king,  by 
whose  order  he  was  beheaded.  The  princi- 
pal generals  and  other  Greek  officers  had  ac- 
companied Clearchus,  and  died  with  him. 

The  soldiers  were  now  in  great  consterna- 
tion ;  but  by  the  advice  of  Xenophon,  a  young 
Athenian,  new  commanders  were  chosen,  and 
Xenophon  was  one  of  them. 

The  retreat  of  this  army,  consisting  of  ten 
thousand  men,  is  one  of  the  most  interesting 
parts  of  history.  Pray  look  on  the  map  for 
Babylon,  and  then  for  Greece  ;  observe  how 
much  desert  ground,  how  many  hills,  what 
numerous  rivers,  lie  between  the  two  places ; 
even  the  sea  must  be  crossed  in  going  from 
one  spot  to  the  other.  All  this  space  of  an 
enemy's  territory  was  traversed  by  this  small, 
brave  band  of  Greeks.  Xenophon  has  writ- 
ten a  charming  account  of  this  wonderful  re- 


106  PARYSATIS    AND     STATIRA. 

treat,  in  which  himself  acted  so  noble  and 
conspicuous  a  part.  Many  men  have  gained 
high  fame  by  victories  and  battles ;  but  the 
brave  and  skilful  manner  in  which  this  defeat- 
ed army  was  led  home  in  safety,  confers  more 
honor  on  its  conductors  than  conquest  ever 
bestowed. 

You  see  that,  in  the  most  adverse  circum- 
stances, a  truly  great  mind  will  show  itself  — 
will  find  a  path  to  glory  and  renown. 

Fifteen  months  *  were  employed  by  the 
troops  in  going  to  and  returning  from  Persia : 
it  has  been  calculated  that  they  moved,  when 
on  their  march,  at  the  rate  of  eighteen  miles  a 
day  going,  and  fifteen  miles  a  day  returning. 

Cyrus  was  the  son  of  Parysatis,  who  was 
also  the  mother  of  Artaxerxes.  Parysatis  was 
a  most  cruel,  bad  woman :  she  did  many  wick- 
ed things ;  amongst  the  rest,  she  murdered 
Statira,  her  daughter-in-law,  the  beloved  wife 
of  Artaxerxes.  This  she  managed  in  a  most 
cunning  way  :  she  pretended  great  love  for 
Statira,  and,  with  marks  of  kindness,  invited 
her  to  supper.  The  young  queen,  meaning  no 
harm,  feared  none,  and  accepted  the  invitation 
of  her  mother-in-law. 

Parysatis  had  an  elegant  supper  ready,  and, 
taking  an  exquisitely  fine  bird  on  her  plate, 
she  cut  it  in  two,  gave  half  to  Statira,  and  ate 
the  other  half  herself.  Statira,  immediately 
after  supper,  was   seized  with  violent   pains, 

*  Rollm. 


PARTS  ATI  S    AND    STATIRA.  107 

and,  being  removed  from  the  table,  died  a 
few  hours  afterwards,  in  the  most  horrible 
convulsions.  The  distracted  king,  knowing 
the  cruel  temper  of  his  mother,  suspected  her 
as  the  cause  of  his  wife's  death.  He  therefore 
ordered  all  her  servants  to  be  put  to  the  tor- 
tin-e,  and  one  of  them  confessed  the  whole 
nefarious  plot. 

The  wicked  Parysatis  had  caused  a  knife  to 
be  rubbed,  on  one  side,  with  a  virulent  poison 
—  the  other  side  was  clean  ;  she  took  care  to 
help  Statira  to  the  half  of  the  bird  that  had 
been  against  the  poisoned  side  of  the  knife. 
It  is  impossible  not  to  wish  she  had  made  a 
mistake,  and  taken  the  poisoned  side  herself 
To  such  great  wickedness  may  giving  way 
to  passion  lead  human  beings  !  A  queen,  a 
woman,  a  mother,  to  be  guilty  of  so  heinous 
a  crime  ! 

Artaxerxes  did  not  take  away  the  life  that 
had  given  him  birth ;  but  he  confined  his 
mother  to  Babylon,  where  she  died,  miserable 
and  despised. 


108  THE    GAULS    SACK    ROME. 


CHAPTER   XXV. 

THE  GAULS,  UNDER  BRENNUS,  SACK  ROME, 
B.  C.  385. 

You  have  seen  France  :    its  ancient  name 
was  Gaul.     Gaul  was  divided  from  Italy,  the 
country  in  which  Rome  stands,  by  a  long  Ime 
of  very  high  hills,  called  the  Alps.     It  has 
been  said  that  some  of  the  Gauls,  having  by 
accident  passed  over  these  mountams,   were 
so  charmed  with  the  delightful  country  they 
found  on  the  other  side,  and  with  the  rich 
wines  and   delicious   fruits  abounding   there, 
that   when  they  returned  to  their  own  home, 
they  did  nothing  but  talk  of  all  they  had 
j^een.     Some  of  their  countrymen,  curious  to 
bee  this  beautiful  place,  soon  after  crossed  the 
Alps,  and  settled  themselves  in  small  towns 
at  the  foot   of  these    immense    hills.       The 
Gauls  at  that   time  were    quite  a  barbarous 
people  ;  rough  in  their  manners,  rude  in  dress, 
fierce,  brave,  and  hardy. 

About  fifteen  years  after  the  famous  retreat 
of  the  Greeks  from  Persia,  and  about  two 
hundred  years  after  their  first  visit  to  Italy, 
the  Gauls,  under  the  command  of  their  king, 
Brennus,  marched  thither,  and  laid  siege  to  a 
town  called  Clusium.  The  Clusians  were  so 
terrified   at   the   vast   army   which    Brennus 


THE  GAULS  SACK  ROME.         109 

brought  with  him,  and  at  the  fierceness  of  his 
soldiers,  that  they  sent  in  all  haste  to  Rome, 
to  beg  for  aid.  However,  tliey  did  not  obtain 
any ;  and,  soon  after,  the  Romans  were  them- 
selves alarmed  by  the  approach  of  the  Gauls 
to  their  own  city. 

So  bold  and  so  numerous  were  these  bar- 
barians, that  they  soon  conquered  the  Roman 
army:  the  greater  part  of  the  inhabitants  fled 
for  protection  to  the  neighboring  cities  ;  the 
young  and  stout  men  shut  themselves  up  in 
the  Capitol,  (a  kind  of  fortress,  a  place  of  great 
Strength,)  resolved  to  hold  out  to  the  last 
against  the  enemy  ;  the  old  men  assembled  in 
the  senate-house,  determined  to  abide  patiently 
their  fate. 

The  Gauls  were  much  pleased  and  surprised 
to  enter  the  city  without  bloodshed,  and  ran 
about  the  streets,  wondering  where  the  inhab- 
itants had  hid  themselves :  at  last  Brennus 
and  some  of  his  soldiers  went  into  the  senate- 
house,  and  there  saw  the  aged  senators  sitting 
calm  and  unmoved.  The  venerable  appear- 
ance of  these  noble  old  men  rendered  the 
Gauls  afraid  to  approach,  and  unwilling  to 
harm  them,  A  soldier  gently  shaking  the 
beard  of  Papirius,  the  old  Roman  was  so 
ofl'ended  at  the  act,  that  he  struck  the  man  on 
the  head  with  the  ivory  staff  which  he  had  in 
his  hand  :  this  blow  instantly  aroused  the  fury 
of  the  barbarians ;  they  massacred  all  the  sen- 
ators, and  rifled  and  burnt  their  houses. 
10 


110  CAMILLU3. 

How  dreadful  must  have  been  the  state  of 
the  poor  Romans!  — the  few  men  left  in  the 
city  barbarously  murdered;  women  shriekmg 
for  succor;  children  crying  and  screaming; 
the  fire  raging  all  around;  and  walls  and 
houses  tumbling  down  every  moment! 

In  this  season  of  distress,  the  Romans  did 
not  give  up  all  for  lost,  and,  because  they  were 
severely   tried,   weakly  resign    themselves   to 
despair.     No  !  like  wise  and  brave  men,  they 
set  about  doing  all  in  their  power  to   drive 
away   the   enemy,   and   recover  their  beloved 
city.     The  Uttle  band  shut  up  in  the  Capitol 
made  every  possible  arrangement  for  defence. 
There  was  a  Roman,  named  Camillus,  who 
had  once  been  Dictator.     Of  him,  I  dare  say, 
you    have    heard    an    interesting    story,    that, 
when  he  was   attacking  the   city  of   Faleni, 
the   master  of  a  school  basely   betrayed  into 
bis  hands  all  his  scholars,  expecting  to  obtain 
a  handsome  reward  for  his  treachery.     He  told 
Camillus  that  the  boys  were  sons  of  the  prin- 
cipal Fahsci,  and  they  would  give  up  the  city 
to  recover  their  children. 

The  noble  Roman,  shocked  at  this  perfidi- 
ous action,  sent  back  the  boys  in  safety  to 
their  parents,  and,  giving  each  of  them  a  rod, 
made  them  beat  the  traitor  all  the  way. 

Camillus,  after  nobly  acting  and  fighting  tor 
Rome,  had  been  ungratefully  sent  into  exile ; 
and  was  hving  at  Ardea  when  Brennus  was 
pillaging   that  devoted   city.     Forgetting   all 


CAMILLUS. 


Ill 


his  private  wrongs,  he  besought  the  Ardeans 
to  save  Rome  by  sending  out  an  army  against 
the  invaders.  So  wisely  and  so  bravely  did 
he  act,  that  the  Gauls  were  shortly  after  cut  to 
pieces,  and  scarcely  a  man  was  left  to  carry 
home  the  account  of  their  total  overthrow.* 

Two  or  three  curious  circumstances  attend- 
ed the  siege  of  Rome.  The  Capitol  was  once 
nearly  taken  by  surprise  :  some  Gauls,  having 
chmbed  up  the  steep  rock  on  which  it  stood, 
were  about  to  kill  the  sentinels,  and  make 
themselves  masters  of  the  place,  when  some 
geese,  kept  near  the  spot,  being  awakened  by 
the  noise,  began  to  flutter  their  wings  and 
cackle  loudly.  This  aroused  the  soldiers,  who 
soon  mastered  the  foe. 


•  Livy. 


112 


CAMILLUS. 


It  has  been  thought,  that  the  Gauls  found 
out  the  way  of  climbing  the  rock,  by  having 
seen  the  footsteps  of  a  messenger  who  had 
been  sent  to  the  Capitol  by  Camilhis.  As 
Camillus  had  been  banished  by  the  Romans, 
he  could  not  return  till  his  sentence  had  been 
reversed ;  and  it  was  necessary  to  send  to  the 
Capitol  for  that  purpose ;  but,  as  the  way 
thither  lay  through  the  enemy's  camp,  it  was 
a  very  hazardous  undertaking.  A  courageous 
youth,  named  Cominius,  offered  to  attempt  this 
enterprise ;  and,  committing  himself  to  the 
bark  of  a  tree,  was  floated  down  the  River 
Tiber  to  the  foot  of  the  rock  ;  this  he  climbed 
up  very  cleverly,  delivered  his  message,  re- 
ceived the  orders  of  the  Romans  that  Camillus 
should  be  recalled  from  exile  and  created  Die- 


CAMILLUS.  113 

tator,  and  then  returned  in  the  same  way.  Co- 
minius  ran  the  risk  of  this  undertaking  for  a 
good  cause,  and  therefore  deserves  the  warmest 
applause  ;  but,  when  persons  hazard  their  Uves 
without  a  proper  motive,  and  merely  to  obtain 
praise  or  create  wonder,  they  deserve  nothing 
but  contempt. 

Another  Roman  equally  signalized  himself. 
—  It  was  thought  proper  that  a  certain  reli- 
gious ceremony  should  be  performed  in  a  cer- 
tain place,  and  by  a  member  of  a  certain 
family :  Fabius  Dorso,  one  of  this  family, 
dressed  in  suitable  robes,  came  down  from  the 
Capitol,  and,  passing  through  the  enemy's 
guard,  walked  firmly  to  the  appointed  spot, 
steadily  performed  the  ceremony,  and  then, 
with  a  sober  pace,  reentered  the  Capitol. 

The  Gauls,  either  admiring  his  courage,  or 
respecting  the  holy  duty  in  which  he  was  en- 
gaged, allowed  him  to  pass  unharmed. 

Thus  was  Rome  sacked  by  the  barbarous 
Gauls,  and  recovered  from  her  enemies  by  the 
valor  and  virtue  of  her  citizens.  The  Romans 
at  one  time  thought  of  buying  their  safety 
with  gold  ;  but  Camillus,  arriving  just  as  the 
money  was  weighing,  ordered  it  all  back  to 
the  treasury;  "for  the  Romans,"  he  said, 
*•  were  accustomed  to  purchase  safety,  not 
with  gold,  but  with  their  swords." 
10* 


114  PEI/OPinAf* 

CHAPTER   XXVL 

PELOPIDAS.    EPAJMINONDAS. 

Whilst  Rome  was  the  prey  of  foreign  foes, 
and  bravely  struggling  to  recover  her  liberty^ 
Greece  was  also  the  scene  of  war  and  strata- 
gem. Agesilaus,  king  of  Sparta,  obtained  a 
considerable  victory  over  the  Athenians:  the 
Athenians,  assisted  by  money  from  Persia, 
were  sometimes  successful  in  their  turn.  All 
the  small  states  of  Greece  were  warring  with 
and  weakening  each  other.  The  great  power 
of  Persia,  taking  advantage  of  the  quarrels 
and  the  feebleness  of  the  Greeks,  contrived  to 
obtain  a  very  desirable  treaty  of  peace,  v/hich 
was  so  dishonorable  to  the  Spartans,  that  it 
was  called  "the  reproach  and  ruin  of  Greece." 

The  Spartans,  you  know,  were  a  nation  of 
soldiers;  fighting  was  almost  all  they  were 
fit  for ;  and,  therefore,  when  they  had  got  rid 
of  the  Persians,  they  began  to  make  war  upon 
their  neighbors.  The  citizens  of  Thebes  were 
disputing  among  themselves ;  and  the  Spar- 
tans, under  pretence  of  settling  the  dispute, 
turned  the  Thebans  out  of  their  own  fortress, 
and  put  in  a  Spartan  garrison. 

For  four  years  this  garrison  kept  its  station  ; 
but  the  angry  and  deceived  Thebans  then  took 
their  revenge ;    for  a  party  of  them,  putting 


PELOPIDAS.   EPAMINONDAS.       115 

women's  clothes  over  their  armorj  entered 
among  the  Lacedasmonians  at  a  feast  given  to 
them,  and  cut  their  principal  officers  to  pieces. 

Archias,  the  chief  Spartan,  had  that  very 
day  received  a  letter  from  Athens,  which 
would  have  informed  him  of  the  whole  plot  ; 
but  he  very  improperly  threw  aside  the  letter 
without  looking  into  it,  saying,  ''  Business  to- 
morrow !  ''  He  was  the  first  man  killed ;  and 
thus  lost  his  life  for  a  neglect  of  duty,  in  suf- 
fering the  pleasure  he  enjoyed  in  the  company 
of  his  friends  to  make  him  forget  the  interest 
of  his  country. 

xYU  people  may  not  equally  suffer  for  putting 
off  until  to-morrow  what  ought  to  be  done  to- 
day; but  all  persons  deserve  to  suffer.  All, 
we  may  be  assured,  do  in  some  degree  suffer 
for  every  neglect  of  duty. 

Pelopidas,  a  celebrated  Theban,  by  his  skill 
and  bravery,  greatly  contributed  to  the  success 
of  this  day  ;  he  commanded  a  body  of  troops, 
and,  being  assisted  by  soldiers  from  Athens, 
restored  Thebes  to  liberty,  and  drove  the  Spar- 
tans from  the  citadel.  But  the  dearest  friend 
of  Pelopidas,  the  brave  and  virtuous  Epami- 
nondas,  was  now  called  from  a  quiet  and 
private  life  to  be  the  general  of  the  Theban 
army.  Epaminondas  was  as  much  celebrated 
for  his  wisdom  as  for  his  virtue  ;  but,  of  all 
the  excellences  of  his  character,  he  gained 
the  most  respect  for  his  strict  regard  to  truth ; 


116 


EPAMINONDAS. 


he  was  ne\^er  known  to  utter  a  falsehood  :  had 
this  been  his  only  merit,  he  would  have  de- 
served the  love  and  esteem  of  mankind.  In- 
deed, where  truth  is  strictly  observed,  vice 
cannot  be  found  ;  for  truth  is  the  basis  of  vir- 
tue, and  the  exterminator  of  vice. 

Epaminondas  performed  an  act  of  which 
every  rich  man  should  be  told  —  upon  which 
every  rich  man  should  reflect.  He  sent  a  poor 
citizen  to  a  very  wealthy  one,  to  ask  for  the 
gift  of  a  thousand  crowns,  in  his  name.  The 
rich  citizen  was  amazed  at  the  message  ;  and 
asked  Epaminondas,  when  he  next  saw  him, 
what  he  meant  by  it.  You  may  be  sure, 
Epaminondas  smiled  at  the  opulent  man's  sur- 
prise ;  and  the  answer  he  gave  him  was  admi- 
rable :  ''  I  sent  him  to  you  for  money,  because 
you  are  rich,  and  he  is  poor." 

But  we  must  talk  of  him  as  a  great  general, 
as  well  as  a  good  citizen.  He  caused  the 
small  town  of  Leuctra  to  be  famous  in  history, 
by  gaining  there  a  victory  over  the  Spartans, 
commanded  by  Cleombrotus.  The  Theban 
army  was  much  smaller  than  that  of  Sparta, 
but  the  skill  of  their  general  in  disposing  the 
force  to  the  best  advantage,  added  to  the  val- 
or of  the  soldiers  and  officers,  more  than  made 
up  for  the  difference  of  numbers.  Besides, 
the  Thebans  were  fighting  for  liberty,  the 
Spartans  only  for  conquest ;  no  wonder,  then, 
that    the    Thebans   conquered.     Do    you   not 


EPAMIN0NDA3.        PELOPIDAS.  117 

think  that  Britons  would  oppose  and  vanquish 
the  united  armies  of  Europe,  in  defence  of 
their  freedom  and  their  country  ? 

Some  silly  persons  told  Epaminondas  that 
many  bad  omens  were  against  him ;  he  replied 
by  repeating  a  verse  from  Homer:  "  There  is 
but  one  good  omen  —  to  fight  for  one's  coun- 
try." Omens  are  the  meaning  which  ignorant 
people  give  to  any  sign  or  event,  when  they 
say,  such  a  sign,  or  such  an  event,  is  an  omen 
of  good  or  bad  luck.  Sensible  persons  never 
trouble  themselves  about  such  ridiculous  fan- 
cies ;  for  they  are  only  fancies. 

Epaminondas  restored  also  to  liberty  a 
country  called  Arcadia,  and  performed  so 
many  noble  actions,  that  Agesilaus,  the  king 
of  Sparta,  called  him  "  the  wonder-working 
man."  Pelopidas  shared  the  danger  and  the 
glory  of  his  friend ;  yet,  when  these  valiant 
generals  returned  to  Thebes,  they  were  both 
called  before  the  tribunal  of  justice  for  the 
crime  of  keeping  the  command  too  long.  Pe- 
lopidas,  being  of  a  very  passionate  temper,  did 
not  so  ably  defend  himself  as  did  Epaminon- 
das, who  was  firm  and  self-possessed.  Both 
were  acquitted  ;  yet  the  enemies  of  Epami- 
nondas caused  him  to  be  elected  the  city 
scavenger,  on  purpose  to  disgrace  and  vex 
him.  But  what  might  have  been  a  disgrace 
to  a  mean  person  was  no  disgrace  to  this  no- 
ble Theban.  He  accepted  the  office,  saying, 
*'  If  the  office  will  not  give  me  honor,  I  will 


118  EPAMINONDAS. 

give  honor  to  the  office."  This  speech  is  a 
charming  instance  of  true  greatness  of  mind, 
which  finds  dignity,  or  bestows  it,  in  every 
condition  of  life. 

Pelopidas  lost  his  life,  when  gallantly  fight- 
ing to  rescue  the  people  of  Pheree  from  the 
tyranny  of  a  usurper,  named  Alexander. 
This  wretch's  manner  of  living  gives  a 
dreadful  picture  of  the  condition  of  a  tyrant. 
Alexander  suspected  every  body  of  designs 
against  him ;  for  he  had  committed  so  many 
crimes  that  he  knew  he  deserved  universal 
hatred.  He  slept  in  a  chamber  which  could 
only  be  reached  by  going  up  a  ladder,  and  at 
the  foot  of  the  ladder  he  kept  a  great  dog  as  a 
guard ;  but  at  last  his  wife  carried  away  the 
dog,  and  covered  the  steps  of  the  ladder  with 
wool,  so  that  no  noise  could  be  made  by  going 
up  them,  and  her  brothers  killed  the  usurper 
in  his  sleep  —  the  wretched  but  deserved  fate 
of  cruelty  and  tyranny. 

Epaminondas  closed  his  glorious  life  in  the 
field  of  battle  and  in  the  moment  of  victory. 
In  a  tremendous  battle,  fought  by  the  The- 
bans  against  the  Lacedaemonians  and  other 
Greek  powers,  at  Mantinea,  this  illustrious 
general,  urged  on  by  his  daring  spirit  into  the 
midst  of  his  enemies,  received  a  fatal  wound. 
A  javelin  pierced  his  bosom ;  he  instantly  fell, 
and  a  fierce  contest  arose  between  his  foes  and 
friends  for  the  possession  of  his  body.  The 
Thebans   at   last   bore   him   from   the    field. 


DTONYSIUS    THE    ELDER.  119 

Epaminondas,  though  in  extreme  agony  from 
his  wound,  had  no  other  thoughts  but  for  the 
success  of  his  army  ;  and,  when  informed  that 
the  Thebans  had  conquered,  he  said,  "  Then 
all  is  well." 

The  surgeons  around  him  having  admitted 
that  he  would  expire  as  soon  as  the  javelin 
was  drawn  out  of  his  wound,  no  one  had  for- 
titude to  remove  the  weapon,  and  thus  close 
the  life  and  sufferings  of  this  beloved  general : 
he  therefore  did  the  office  for  himself ,  and, 
wrenching  the  dart  from  his  bosom,  breathed 
his  last  in  the  arms  of  his  friends.  Thus  died 
the  great  Epaminondas,  B.  C.  363.  The  glory 
of  Thebes  rose  with  him,  and  with  him  ex- 
pired. 

Dionysius  the  Elder,  tyrant  of  Syracuse, 
died  five  years  before  Epaminondas  ;  he  was 
as  oppressive  and  as  cruel,  and  consequently 
as  miserable,  as  Alexander,  the  tyrant  of  Phe- 
rse.  Dionysius  wore  armor  under  his  clothes  ; 
so  much  he  feared  to  suffer  for  his  cruelty  to 
others  by  the  treachery  of  those  about  him. 
The  wretchedness  of  these  two  men  strongly 
shows  that  abused  power  inflicts  more  sorrow 
on  him  who  abuses  it  than  on  him  who  suff'ers 
from  it.  You  must  read  the  long  and  busy 
life  of  Dionysius,  and  then  you  v/ill  acknowl- 
edge the  truth  of  this  remark. 


120  LICINIUS    STOLO. 

CHAPTER    XXVII. 

TITUS   MANLIUS  TORQUATUS. 

The  vanity  and  ambition  of  a  young  woman 
produced  a  change  in  the  government  of  Rome. 
You  know  that  the  patricians  were  the  nobles, 
and  the  plebeians  a  lower  class  of  the  people. 

The  officers  of  state  were  always  chosen 
from  the  nobles.  There  was  a  patrician,,  Fa- 
bius  Ambustus,  who  had  two  daughters ;  he 
married  one  to  a  plebeian,  the  other  to  a  patri- 
cian. The  wife  of  the  plebeian,  seeing  the 
state  and  dignity  in  which  her  sister  lived, 
became  very  unhappy  at  her  own  humble 
mode  of  life,  and  pined  away  with  envy  and 
regret.  Her  husband  and  her  father  were 
sorry  to  see  her  ill  and  melancholy,  and  at  last 
drew  from  her  the  reason  of  her  sighs  and  pale 
looks.  Both  of  them  loved  her,  and  promised 
to  procure  her  the  pomp  and  distinction  for 
which  she  pined.  By  their  joint  endeavors, 
they  succeeded  in  fulfilling  the  ambitious 
wishes  of  the  envious  sister ;  and  her  hus- 
band, Licinius  Stolo,  was  soon  after  elected 
consul,  being  the  second  plebeian  who  was 
raised  to  that  high  office  :  his  friend  Sextius 
had  been  the  first. 

Two  years  after  this  elevation  of  Licinius, 
an    earthquake    happened    at    Rome,    which 


LUCIUS    MANLIUS.  121 

shook  the  earth  so  much,  that  in  the  forum, 
or  place  for  public  meetings,  a  great  chasm,  or 
open  space,  was  made  in  the  ground ;  so  very 
wide,  and  so  very  deep,  that  the  people  tried 
in  vain  to  fill  it  up  by  throwing  in  earth.  At 
last,  it  was  said  that  the  hole  could  never  be 
filled,  unless  the  most  precious  thing  in  Rome 
were  thrown  into  it.  Marcus  Cur  tins,  a  very 
brave  young  man,  hearing  of  this  oracle,  de- 
clared that  courage  was  the  most  valuable  of 
all  things  ;  and,  therefore,  dressed  in  his  ar- 
mor, and  mounted  on  his  horse,  he  made  it 
leap  with  him  into  the  chasm,  calling  aloud, 
that  thus  he  devoted  himself  for  the  good  of 
his  country.  The  people,  according  to  the 
superstition  of  those  times,  heaped  corn  and 
other  oiferings  over  him  ;  and  it  was  afterwards 
believed  that  the  hole  had  instantly  closed. 

Pray  draw  your  chairs  a  little  closer,  and 
listen  with  increased  attention  ;  for  I  have  a 
most  interesting  account  to  give. 

A  noble  Roman,  Lucius  Manlius,  was 
chosen  Dictator,  to  perform  a  ceremony 
which  was  then  deemed  sacred.  A  sickness 
raged  in  the  city,  and  some  old  persons  said 
the  plague  had  once  been  stopped  by  the  Dic- 
tator driving  a  nail  in  the  temple  of  Jupiter. 
This  duty  Manlius  performed  ;  and  then  he 
wished  to  rouse  the  people  to  make  war 
against  the  Heriiici.  For  the  earnestness 
with  which  he  strove  to  raise  an  army,  and 
the  supplies  for  that  army,  he  was,  the  next 
11 


122  TITUS    MANLIUS    TORQUATUS. 

year,  summoned  before  the  consuls  to  be 
tried. 

Among  other  accusations  brought  against 
Manhus,  it  was  asserted  that  he  used  his  own 
son,  Titus,  with  great  severity,  because  the 
youth  was  slow  of  speech. 

When  Titus  heard  of  this  last  accusation, 
he  was  shocked  at  the  danger  to  which  his 
father  was  exposed  ;  and,  without  disclosing 
his  intention  to  any  one,  he  concealed  a  dag- 
ger in  his  bosom,  and  went  to  the  house  of 
Pomponius,  the  tribune,  who  had  demanded 
the  trial  of  Manlius.  He  desired  a  private 
conference  :  this  the  tribune  readily  granted, 
supposing  that  the  son  was  desirous  still  more 
to  criminate  his  father.  But,  as  soon  as  they 
were  alone,  Titus,  without  saying  one  word 
against  his  parent,  drew  out  his  dagger,  and, 
approaching  Pomponius,  swore  he  would  stab 
him  to  the  heart  if  he  did  not  instantly  take 
an  oath  to  drop  the  prosecution  against  his 
father.  The  alarmed  tribune,  seeing  his  life 
in  danger,  took  the  required  oath  ;  and  thus 
Manlius  not  only  escaped  a  trial,  but  gained 
honor  by  the  bravery  of  his  duteous  son ;  for 
Titus,  as  a  reward  for  his  conduct,  was  soon 
after  made  a  military  tribune. 

Titus,  shortly  after,  accompanied  the  army 
against  the  Gauls  ;  and,  when  the  forces  met, 
one  of  the  enemy,  a  Gaul  of  remarkable  bodily 
strength,  offered  single  combat  with  any  Ro- 
man who  would  come  out  against  him  ;  "  and 


TITUS    MANLIUS    TORQ,UATUS.  123 

then,"  said  he,  "  it  will  be  seen  which  is  the 
more  valiant  nation."  All  the  Romans  were 
indignant  at  this  boast ;  and  Titus,  instantly- 
hastening  to  the  general,  said,  ''  Though  I 
were  sure  of  victory,  general,  I  would  never 
quit  my  post  without  permission.  Give  me 
leave  to  fight  this  proud  boaster."  The  Dic- 
tator replied,  "Go,  Manlius !  you  have  already 
shown  your  filial  piety ;  go  now,  and  prove 
your  patriot  zeal." 

Titus  Manlius,  simply  armed,  and  with  a 
modest  air,  advanced  to  the  combat.  The 
Gaul,  decked  with  glittering  weapons,  came 
forward,  exulting  and  noisy.  But  his  pride 
was  soon  confounded ;  for  the  noble  Roman 
quickly  laid  him  dead  at  his  feet ;  and,  scorn- 
ing to  strip  his  fallen  foe,  (as  was  then  the 
custom,)  he  only  took  from  his  neck  a  golden 
collar,  (in  Latin,  torquis,)  as  a  testimony  of  his 
victory,  whence  he  obtained  the  surname  of 
Torquatus. 

The  Romans  ran  in  crowds  to  congratulate 
and  applaud  their  youthful  champion :  and  the 
general,  after  commending  him  before  the  as- 
sembled army,  gave  him  a  crown  of  gold,  as 
the  reward  of  his  prowess. 

This  Titus  was  afterwards  Dictator,  and 
three  times  Consul.  I  believe  it  was  he  who 
gave  a  remarkable  instance  of  well-meant  but 
mistaken  severity.  During  his  third  Con- 
sulate, in  a  war  against  the  Latines,  who 
were  at  that  time  a  distinct  nation,  the  Ro- 


124 


TITITS    MANLIUS    TORQUiLTUS. 


mans  were  ordered  not  to  quit  their  ranks 
without  permission,  on  pain  of  death.  His 
own  son,  however,  happened,  with  his  de- 
tachment, to  meet  a  troop  of  Latines,  headed 
by  Metius,  who  scoffingly  addressed  the  Ro- 
mans, and  at  last  dared  their  young  com- 
mander to  fip-ht  him. 


Manlius,  overcome  with  rage  and  shame, 
forgetful  of  the  orders  of  the  Consuls,  one  of 
whom  was  his  own  father,  sprang  forward  to 
the  encounter,  and  soon  conquered  the  Latine. 
Then,  gathering  together  the  arms  of  the 
fallen  foe,  he  ran  joyfully  to  his  father's  tent, 
and,  throwing  them  at  his  feet,  told  his  tale. 
Alas !  short  was  his  rejoicing.  The  Consul 
turned  from  him,  and,  ordering  the  troops  to 


TITUS    MANLIUS    TORQUATUS.  125 

be  assembled,  thus  addressed  him  before 
them  :  "  Titus  Manlius  !  You  this  day  dared 
to  disobey  the  command  of  your  Consul,  and 
the  orders  of  your  father :  you  have  thus 
done  an  injury  to  discipline  and  military 
government,  and  must  by  your  death  expiate 
your  fault.  Your  courage  has  endeared  you 
to  me,  but  I  must  be  just ;  and,  if  you  have 
a  drop  of  my  blood  in  your  veins,  you  will 
not  refuse  to  die,  when  justice  demands  it. 
Go,  lictor,  and  tie  him  to  the  stake." 

The  astonished  young  man  showed  his 
noble  spirit, to  the  last,  and  as  calmly  knelt 
down  beneath  the  axe  as  he  had  bravely 
wielded  his  sword  against  the  enemies  of  his 
country.  The  Avhole  Roman  army  mourned 
his  early  death. 

What  think  you  of  his  father  ?  He  had 
been  himself  so  obedient  to  his  general,  and 
so  dutiful  to  his  father,  that  he  perhaps  had 
a  peculiar  right  to  be  thus  strict ;  otherwise, 
I  think,  he  might  have  forgiven  the  small 
fault,  for  the  sake  of  the  great  bravery  dis- 
played. Surely,  mercy  is  sometimes  as  much 
the  duty  of  man  as  justice.  And  why  may 
not  mercy  be  as  honorably  extended  to  a 
relation  as  to  a  stranger  ? 

This  interesting  event*  occurred  B.  C.  340. 

*  Livy. 
11* 


126  PHILIP    OF    MACEDON. 

CHAPTER   XXVIII. 

PHILIP,  KING  OF  MACEDON.    ORACLE  OF  DELPHI. 

Macedonia  was  a  kingdom  situated  not 
far  from  Athens  and  the  other  Grecian  States. 
Edessa  was  its  capital,  till  Philip,  ana  his  son 
Alexander,  who  were  both  born  at  Pella, 
made  Pella  the  capital  city. 

Philip,  of  whom  we  are  now  going  to 
speak,  was  the  son  of  Amyntas,  the  sixteenth 
king  of  Macedonia.  This  kingdom  once 
paid  tribute  to  Athens ;  but  you  will  hear 
that,  under  Philip  and  Alexander,  it  exacted 
tribute  from  almost  all  Gieece,  part  of  Asia, 
and  some  places  in  Africa. 

Phihp  lived  nine  years  at  Thebes,  under 
the  care  of  Pelopidas,  where  he  closely 
watched  Epaminondas,  and  strove  to  copy 
the  manners  and  acquire  the  knowledge  of 
that  great  man.  He  was  a  third  son,  and, 
on  the  death  of  his  two  brothers,  he  secretly 
returned  to  Macedon,  and  was  elected  king 
by  the  people,  to  the  prejudice  of  his  nephew. 

Philip,  as  soon  as  he  had  ascended  ^th-e 
throne,  did  all  in  his  power  to  benefit  and 
protect  his  subjects.  He  took  particular  pains 
with  his  soldiers,  and  established  the  famous 
Macedonian  phalanx.  This  phalanx  was  a 
peculiar  mode  of  placing  his  soldiers,  so  that 


PHILIP    or    MACEDON. 


127 


they  could  best  defend  themselves.  He  took 
the  idea  from  a  passage  in  Homer :  thus  wise 
people  profit  by  whatever  they  read,  and 
whatever  they  see. 


When  his  son  Alexander  was  born,  he  was 
overjoyed,  and  wrote  to  a  very  learned  man, 
Aristotle,  a  native  of  Stagira,  in  Thrace,* 
and  told  him  he  should  be  the  tutor  of  Alex- 
ander. "  I  am  not  only  happy,"  he  wrote, 
"  to  have  a  son,  but  to  have  him  when  Aris- 
totle hves." 

It  will  be  impossible  for  me  to  tell  you 
of  all  the  battles  fought,  and  all  the  countries 
subdued,  by  Philip.  You  must  read  of  them 
when  you  are  older,  and  the  account  will 
much  amuse  you.  Among  other  countries 
invaded  by  this  aspiring  monarch,  was  that 
of  Attica  :  long  and  bravely  did  the  Athenians 


*  Afterwards  added  to  Macedonia. 


128  DEMOSTHENES. 

oppose  him  ;  their  spirit  and  their  fortitude 
being  aroused  and  sustained  by  the  fine 
speeches  of  one  of  their  orators.  You  have 
heard  of  Demosthenes ;  he  was  always  stir- 
ring up  the  Athenians  against  Phihp,  and 
always  satirizing  that  king.  His  speeches 
were  called  Philippics  ;  and,  from  that  time. 
Philippics  has  been  a  term  signifying  "speech- 
es against  any  person."  as  his  Philippics  were 
"speeches  against  Philip." 

This  Demosthenes  was  one  of  the  greatest 
orators  that  ever  lived ;  and  he  owed  his 
ability  entirely  to  his  oavu  perseverance.  In 
the  history  of  his  life,  it  is  said  that  he  was 
born  with  an  impediment  in  his  speech;  so 
that  public  speaking  seemed  to  be  the  last 
talent  in  which  he  was  likely  to  excel.  But 
mark,  I  beseech  you,  the  effects  of  industry 
and  patience :  Demosthenes  not  only  con- 
quered his  natural  defect,  but  became  most 
excellent  as  an  orator.  He  saw  that  Athens 
wanted  good  advisers,  and  he  knew  that  the 
people  would  only  listen  to  good  speakers  ; 
so  he  earnestly  strove  to  render  himself  capa- 
ble of  serving  and  advising  them.  He  used 
to  speak  by  the  sea-side,  that  the  murmurs 
of  the  waves  might  accustom  him  to  the 
murmurs  of  assembled  crowds,  and  that  thus 
he  might  acquire  a  habit  of  speaking  loud. 
Some  writers  say  he  put  pebbles  into  his 
mouth  when  speaking,  to  cure  himself  of 
stammering.     The  pains  he  took  must  have 


DEMOSTHENES.  129 

been  very  great,  for  he  fully  succeeded  in  his 
aim ;  and  no  person  can  be  excellent  in  any 
thing,  who  does  not  strive  long  and  closely. 
Demosthenes  lost  his  father  when  he  was  a 
child ;  he  was  weak  and  sickly,  and  his 
guardians  educated  him  very  badly ;  yet, 
with  all  these  disadvantages,  he  became  the 
greatest  orator  of  his  time.  When  he  first 
spoke  in  public,  he  spoke  so  ill  that  he  was 
hissed  by  those  who  heard  him  ;  but,  though 
abashed  and  sorry,  he  did  not  despair.  No ; 
he  only  more  earnestly  studied  to  improve 
himself  j  and  thus  he  gradually  became  ad- 
mired by  all  who  heard  him.  He  rose  very 
early  in  the  morning,  and  sat  up  till  midnight 
in  his  lonely  study.  He  shaved  only  half  of 
his  face  for  many  months,  that,  not  being  fit 
to  go  abroad,  he  might  have  no  desire  to  go. 
To  cure  himself  of  an  awkward  trick  of 
shrugging  up  his  shoulders  when  speaking, 
he  used  to  stand  under  a  pointed  javelin,  in 
such  a  manner  that,  if  he  shrugged  up  his 
shoulders,  the  javelin  pricked  him,  and  thus 
reminded  him  of  his  fault.  He  wrote  over 
a  very  long  history*  eight  times  with  his 
own  hand,  that  he  might  attain  a  good  style. 
In  short,  he  did  as  much  as  man  could  do, 
and  more  than  almost  any  other  man  ever 
did.  And  what  was  the  consequence  ?  He 
teached  as   high  a  degree  of   excellence  as 

*  Of  Thucydides. 


130  DEMOSTHENES. 

could  be  attained,  and  his  fame  may  indeed 
be  called  "a  deathless  fame." 

I  meant  to  have  talked  to  you  of  Philip; 
but  I  find  nothing  in  his  battles  and  his  pomp 
half  so  interesting  as  is  displayed  in  the  more 
quiet  life  of  Demosthenes ;  so  true  it  is  that 
wisdom  and  virtue  charm  us  more  than  am- 
bition and  greatness.  All  the  gold  of  Philip 
could  not  buy  Demosthenes  to  silence.  When 
Philip  was  murdered,  Demosthenes  rejoiced. 
This  was  unworthy  of  a  great  man,  who 
would  scorn  to  triumph  in  the  sorrow  or  death 
of  any  fellow-creature,  even  of  a  foe. 

The  conduct  of  a  rival  of  his  should  have 
taught  him  better.  iEschines,  a  good  speaker, 
once  repeated  a  speech  of  his  own,  and  one  of 
Demosthenes.  His  own  was  much  applaud- 
ed, but  that  of  his  rival  much  more.  "  Ah," 
said  the  generous  iEschines,  "  how  would  you 
have  applauded,  had  you  heard  Demosthenes 
speak  it !  " 

Demosthenes  was  as  warm  against  Alex- 
ander as  he  had  been  against  his  father :  some 
persons  say  he  was  corrupted  by  the  gold  of 
Harpalus ;  but  this  is  not  believed.  However, 
on  this  pretext,  he  was  banished  from  Athens ; 
and,  though  recalled,  he  did  not  find  himself 
quite  safe  in  his  native  city,  but,  wandering 
thence,  and  surviving  both  Philip  and  Alex- 
ander, he  at  last  put  an  end  to  his  life  by 
poison,  in  the  Island  of  Calauria. 

Phocion,  one  of  the  greatest  men  that  Greece 


PHOCION.  131 

ever  produced,  was  general  of  the  Athenian 
forces,  and  more  than  once  beat  the  army  of 
Philip.  He  disdained  the  offers  of  Harpahis ; 
and,  when  Demosthenes  was  rousing  Athens 
to  continue  the  war  against  Macedon,  he  op- 
posed him,  recommended  peace,  and  voted  for 
the  banishment  of  the  orator.  Piiocion,  hon- 
est and  simple  himself,  did  not  suspect  the 
cunning  of  Philip ;  but  Demosthenes  knew 
this  king's  character  better ;  and  it  is  thought, 
if  the  advice  of  the  latter  had  been  followed, 
Greece  would  not  have  been  subdued  by 
Macedon. 

Phocion,  after  having  been  chosen  general 
forty-five  times,  and  after  having  performed 
the  greatest  services  for  his  country,  was  con- 
demned to  die  by  the  ungrateful  Athenians. 
Phocion,  when  about  to  swallow  the  dose  of 
hemlock  that  was  to  poison  him,  was  asked 
what  message  he  would  send  to  his  son. 
''  Tell  him,"  said  this  good  old  man,  "  that  1 
desire  he  will  not  remember  the  injustice  of 
the  Athenians."  With  this  generous,  forgiv- 
ing speech  on  his  lips,  he  drank  off  the  fatal 
draught,  and  calmly  expired. 

There  was  a  city  called  Delphi,  in  which 
was  a  temple,  dedicated  to  the  heathen  god 
Apollo.  In  this  temple  resided  a  priestess, 
who  was  held  sacred,  and  who  pretended 
to  foretell  events  and  explain  omens.  The 
words  she  uttered  were  called  Oracles^  which 
in  those  days  were  much  respected. 


132  ORACLE    OF    DELPHI. 

It  is  related  that,  from  a  chasm  in  a  moun- 
tain, a  vapor  arose,  which  was  observed  to 
intoxicate  the  animals  that  breathed  it ;  a 
shepherd,  seeing  his  goats  skip  about  strangely 
whenever  they  approached  a  certain  spot,  ex- 
amined it  closely,  and  discovered  the  exhala- 
tion that  affected  them.  A  temple  was  built 
over  this  place,  and  when  persons  desired  to 
"  consult  the  Oracle,"  as  they  styled  it,  a  tri- 
pod was  placed  over  the  cavity,  and  a  woman 
was  made  to  stand  upon  it.  When  she 
breathed  the  ascending  vapor,  she  became 
wild  and  agitated,  and  uttered  broken  sen- 
tences and  strange  exclamations.  These  in- 
coherent words  and  phrases  were  carefully 
written  down,  and  delivered  as  oracles  from 
the  heathen  god  Apollo.  They  were  conse- 
quently held  as  sacred  and  inspired  declara- 
tions, and  were  explained  according  to  the 
wishes  of  the  questioner,  or  of  the  priestess. 
You  know,  it  is  no  difficult  matter  to  affix 
what  meaning  we  please  to  wild  and  uncon- 
nected words.  The  woman,  or  priestess,  as 
she  was  called,  was  addressed  as  the  Pythia; 
because  Apollo  was  worshipped  under  the 
name  of  Pythion,  for  having  killed  the  ser- 
pent Python. 

The  Phocians,  a  people  of  Greece,  ploughed 
up  a  field  which  belonged  to  the  temple  of 
Apollo.  All  the  Greek  States  around  ex- 
claimed loudly  against  this  act  of  sacrilege  ; 
and  many  of  them  took  up  arms  against  the 


SACRED    WAR.       PLATO.  133 

Phocians,  whilst  Sparta  and  Athens  befriended 
them. 

At  the  Amphictyonic  Council,  the  great 
general  council  of  Greece,  the  people  of 
Phocis  were  ordered  to  pay  a  fine  for  the 
sacrilege  they  had  committed.  This  they 
refused  to  do,  and  war  ensued.  This  contest, 
which  was  called  the  Sacred  War,  lasted 
eight  years. 

Philip  of  Macedon  was  asked  to  take  part 
in  the  struggle  ;  but  he  held  back,  being  well 
pleased  to  see  the  Greek  States  weakening 
each  other  by  their  efforts.  When  he  thought 
them  sufficiently  enfeebled,  he  entered  the 
country,  under  pretence  of  attacking  Phocis ; 
but  he  stopped  not  his  warfare  till  he  had 
made  himself  master  of  Greece.  This  con- 
quest achieved,  he  was  about  to  invade  Persia, 
but  was  murdered  by  Pausanias,  during  a 
public  festival,  B.  C.  336. 


CHAPTER   XXIX. 

PLATO.    DIONYSIUS,   TYRANT    OF   SYRACUSE. 
TIMOLEON. 

Plato   the  philosopher,  of  whom  you  will 

often  read,  was  an  Athenian,  and  the  pupil  of 

the  famous  Socrates.     He  died  about  twelve 

years  before  Philip  of  Macedon  was  murdered. 

12 


134  PLATO.       DIONTSIUS. 

He  was  the  intimate  friend  of  Dion,  the  best 
and  wisest  of  the  Syracusans  ;  and  went  to 
Syracuse,  a  city  in  the  Island  of  Sicily,  to 
visit  him.  When  he  observed  that  the  man- 
ners of  Dion  were  stern  and  harsh,  he,  like  a 
true  friend,  told  him  of  this  defect,  and  re- 
minded him  '^  that  a  haughty  carriage  keeps 
people  at  a  distance,  and  reduces  man  to  pass 
his  life  in  solitude." 

As  Dion  was  a  wise  man,  no  doubt  he  prof- 
ited by  this  good  advice  ;  for  it  is  a  proof  of 
superior  wisdom  to  listen  kindly  to  counsel, 
and  amend  the  faults  it  points  out. 

Dionysius  the  Younger  was  at  this  time 
tyrant,  or  king,  of  Syracuse;  he  was  the 
brother-in-law  of  Dion,  and  a  young  prince  of 
great  promise.  His  father,  Dionysius  the 
Elder,  had  sadly  neglected  his  education, 
which  led  Plato  to  say,  all  his  faults  arose 
from  ignorance ;  and  this  great  philosopher 
took  considerable  pains  to  instruct  and  im- 
prove him.  Dionysius  proved  the  natural 
goodness  of  his  character  by  the  respect  and 
attention  he  paid  to  Plato :  he  gave  up  his 
habits  of  idleness  and  dissipation,  and  devoted 
himself  to  study  and  sober  amusements.  Had 
it  not  been  for  the  base  flattery  of  his  cour- 
tiers, this  young  prince  would  have  probably 
become  a  good  and  great  man.  But  the  angry 
nobles,  jealous  of  the  influence  of  the  virtuous 
Dion,  misrepresented  his  conduct,  and  spoke- 
so  ill   of  him,  that  he  was  at  last  banished 


PLATO.       DIONYSIUS. 


135 


from  Syracuse  ;  and  Plato,  soon  after,  gladly 
quitted  the  court  of  the  tyrant. 

About  two  years  afterwards,  upon  receiving 
a  promise  from  Dionysius  that  he  would  recall 
Dion,  Plato  made  another  voyage  to  Sicily. 
Dionysius,  on  hearing  of  his  arrival,  went  out 
to  meet  him  in  a  splendid  chariot,  drawn  by 
four  white  horses,  in  which  he  placed  the 
philosopher,  and  performed  himself  the  office 


of  driver.  The  Sicilians,  too,  rejoiced  at  his 
return ;  and,  for  a  time,  all  was  harmony. 
Among  other  proofs  of  the  prince's  favor,  he 
presented  Plato  with  eighty  talents  of  gold,  or 
about  15,500/.  Plato  had  now  more  influence 
at  court  than  any  one,  and  he  lived  in  a  dig- 
nified manner,  which  his  enemies  stigmatized 


136  PLATO.       DIONYSIUS.       TIMOLEON. 

as  pride  ;  but  his  friends  praised  it  as  the  result 
of  wisdom. 

Plato  could  not,  however,  prevail  on  Dio- 
nysius  to  recall  Dion ;  a  mutual  distrust  was 
the  consequence,  and,  in  the  sequel,  the  philos- 
opher returned  to  Athens. 

Dionysius,  now  left  to  himself,  and  to  the 
influence  of  his  artful  flatterers,  forgot  all  the 
good  that  Plato  had  taught  him.  He  not  only 
broke  the  promise  he  had  made  of  recalling 
his  brother-in-law,  but  even  married  that 
brother's  wife  to  one  of  his  courtiers.  Dion, 
provoked  at  this  wickedness,  led  an  army  to 
Syracuse,  drove  the  tyrant  from  his  throne, 
and  recovered  his  wife.  He  governed  Syra- 
cuse with  much  moderation  and  ability ;  but 
was  at  last  cruelly  murdered.  After  his  death, 
Dionysius  again  ascended  the  throne,  and  was 
again  driven  from  it ;  and,  after  all  his  various 
fortunes,  it  is  said  he  became  a  schoolmaster 
at  Corinth.  He  had  always  such  good  spirits, 
that,  when  one  rallied  him  on  not  having  prof- 
ited by  the  counsel  of  his  master  Plato,  he 
replied,  "  How  can  you  say  I  have  not  profited 
by  Plato's  maxims,  when  you  see  me  bear 
misfortunes  so  well  ?  " 

But  you  will  wish  to  hear  who  was  the 
person  that  finally  drove  this  tyrant  from 
Syracuse;  and  I  shall  have  great  pleasure  in 
speaking  to  you  of  that  successful  general. 
It  was  Timoleon,  a  native  of  Corinth,  an  ex- 
cellent soldier,  brave,  humane,  and  firm.     He 


TIMOLEON.  137 

had  a  brother,  Timophanes,  who  had  made 
himself  tyrant  of  Corinth.  Timoleon  loved 
his  brother,  but  he  more  dearly  loved  his 
country ;  and  when  he  found  he  could  not 
persuade  him  to  give  freedom  to  Corinth,  he 
consented  to  his  death. 

But,  though  the  people  praised  him,  the 
heart  of  Timoleon  reproached  him  for  this 
act ;  and  he  would  have  punished  himself  by 
death,  if  his  friends  had  not  implored  him  to 
live.  He  consented  to  live,  but  he  never  more 
knew  peace  of  conscience. 

The  Carthaginians,  who  were  almost  always 
at  war  with  the  Syracusans,  sent  an  army 
against  them ;  and  they  in  their  distress  ap- 
plied to  Corinth  for  relief.  Timoleon  was 
despatched  with  some  troops  to  their  aid  :  he 
gained  great  advantages  over  the  Carthagin- 
ians, and  entered  Syracuse  in  triumph. 

Dionysius,  admiring  this  excellent  general, 
surrendered  himself  and  his  citadel  into  his 
hands,  and  was  sent  to  Corinth. 

Timoleon  now  attacked  the  Carthaginians, 
under  Asdrubal  and  Amilcar,  and  gained  a 
signal  victory.  In  short,  he  subdued  all  the 
enemies  of  Syracuse,  and  restored  that  city  to 
hberty,  instituted  laws  for  her  benefit,  and  was 
universally  loved  and  honored.*  "  Virtue  is 
seldom  or  never  without  envy."  Timoleon 
had,  doubtless,  enemies  and  false  accusers ; 
but  he  had  also  friends  and  admirers. 


*  Rollin. 
12* 


138  SELF-DEVOTION    OF    DECIUS. 

When  he  had  performed  all  the  good  he 
could  for  the  Island  of  Sicily,  he  gave  up  his 
power,  and  lived  the  rest  of  his  days  in  an 
honorable  and  tranquil  retirement.  His  wife 
and  children  followed  him  from  Corinth ;  and^ 
to  the  last  hour  of  his  life,  the  Syracusans 
acted  by  his  advice  in  all  important  matters. 
When  they  wished  to  have  his  opinion,  he 
used  to  be  drawn  in  a  chariot  to  the  place  of 
meeting,  and  whatever  he  directed  was  done. 
He  died  about  B.  C.  337. 

Every  honor  was  paid  to  him  after  his 
death,  and  his  bier  was  wetted  with  the  tears 
of  the  grateful  Syracusans. 

Plato,  of  whom  I  have  told  you  so  much 
in  this  chapter,  died  B.  C.  348,  aged  81,  the 
year  before  Dionysius  recovered  the  tyranny 
of  Syracuse. 


CHAPTER   XXX. 

SELF-DEVOTION  OF  DECIUS. 

Whilst  the  Syracusans  were  fighting  and 
expelling  their  old  and  inveterate  enemies, 
the  Carthaginians,  —  whilst  Philip,  beginning 
with  Phocis,  was  conquering  the  Greek  cities, 
one  by  one,  — the  Romans  were  engaged  in  a 
severe  contest  with  the  Samnites.     Alas  !  war 


SELF-DEVOTION    OF    DECIUS,  139 

forms  a  principal  part  of  the  history  of  all 
nations ! 

The  Tarentines,  the  allies  of  the  Samnites, 
implored  and  obtained  the  aid  of  Pyrrhus, 
king  of  EpiruSj  the  greatest  general  of  his  age, 
and  of  whom  you  will  soon  hear  many  amu- 
sing particulars. 

In  spite  of  his  great  abilities  and  his  ex- 
traordinary exertions,  the  Romans  were  gen- 
erally victorious.  Even  when  conquered  by 
PyrrhuSj  they  profited  by  the  misfortune,  in 
learning  the  arts  by  which  they  had  been 
vanquished. 

The  victories  obtained  by  the  Romans  at 
this  time  led  to  the  conquest  of  all  Italy,  and 
laid  the  foundations  of  that  power  which  you 
will  find  afterwards  spread  over  almost  all  the 
then  known  world. 

Rome  was  certainly  very  rich  in  brave 
men  :  very  soon  after  the  gallant  action  of  the 
unfortunate  Titus  Manlius,  a  Consul,  named 
Decius,  devoted  himself  to  death  for  the  ser- 
vice of  his  country. 

In  a  battle  with  the  Latines,  Decius  saw, 
with  consternation,  that  the  enemy  was  gain- 
ing advantage  over  his  soldiers.  He  instantly 
called  to  the  Pontifex  Maximus  (a  kind  of 
high  priest  of  the  Romans)  to  come  and  hear 
him  devote  himself  to  the  gods.  This  sacred 
person,  Valerius,  covering  the  head  of  Decius 
with  a  veil,  and  ordering  him  to  stand  upon  a 


140  ALEXANDER    THE    GREAT. 

lance  laid  on  the  ground,  bade  him  repeat  a 
certain  prayer  to  the  gods  of  war.  Decius, 
having  obeyedj  drew  his  robe  about  him,  put 
on  his  arms,  and,  mounting  his  horse,  rode 
full  speed  among  the  enemy.  He  was  plain- 
ly seen  by  both  armies,  his  spirit  making  him 
carry  himself  in  a  bold  and  majestic  manner. 
The  Latines,  according  to  the  ignorance  of 
those  times,  thought  it  was  a  messenger  from 
heaven  against  them  ;  and  the  Romans,  1  sup- 
pose, fancied  that  Decius  was  inspired  by  the 
gods  to  befriend  them.  ^ 

Thus  fear  spread  in  one  army,  and  hope  in 
the  other.  Decius  died  covered  with  wounds, 
and  the  Romans  put  the  Latines  to  flight. 
Thus  it  may  be  truly  said,  that  the  self-devo- 
tion of  Decius  saved  his  army.  He  per- 
formed this  gallant  act,  B.  C.  340. 


CHAPTER   XXXL 

ALEXANDER  THE  GREAT. 

We  are  now  come  to  the  history  of  Alexan- 
der the  Great :  he  was  the  son  of  Philip,  king 
of  Macedon  ;  his  mother's  name  was  Olym- 
pias,  and  his  tutor  was  the  great  Aristotle,  a 
man  as  much  celebrated  for  his  wisdom,  as 


ALEXANDER    THE    GREAT.  141 

Alexander  was  for  his  conquests.  You  must 
read  both  their  histories  at  large  ;  and  when 
you  have  done  so,  perhaps  you  will  think 
Aristotle  the  greater  man  of  the  two. 

I  cannot  pretend  to  give  you  an  account  of 
all  the  exploits  of  this  victorious  king.  Pray 
look  into  a  map  of  the  world,  for  a  map  of 
any  one  quarter  of  it  will  not  do.  Alexander 
carried  his  triumphant  arms  into  Europe,  Asia, 
and  Africa.  America,  you  know,  had  not  then 
been  discovered. 

Look  at  Greece  ;  he  made  himself  master  of 
it.  Run  your  eye  over  Persia  ;  he  was  its  con- 
queror. See  Egypt ;  he  subdued  it.  Trace 
the  course  of  the  Ganges,  in  India ;  to  the 
banks  of  that  river  he  led  his  victorious 
bands.  Behold  Babylon ;  there  he  closed  his 
life.  After  years  of  successful  war  on  the 
human  race,  there  was  one  conquest  he  never 
obtained  — a  conquest  over  himself;  he  died 
the  victim  of  folly  and  self-indulgence :  the 
conqueror  of  the  world  lost  his  life  by  exces- 
sive drinking ! 

The  very  day  on  which  Alexander  was 
born,  the  temple  of  Diana,  at  Ephesus,  a  city 
of  Ionia,  in  Greece,  was  burned.  This  tem- 
ple was  one  of  the  seven  wonders  of  the 
world.  Alexander  had  other  very  good  mas- 
ters besides  Aristotle  ;  and  he  early  showed  a 
desire  to  distinguish  himself  He  read  a  great 
deal :  Homer's  Iliad  he  especially  studied. 
He  was  of  a  cheerful  temper :  a  little  positive 


142  DIOGENES. 

in  his  opinion,  but  always  ready  to  give  it  up 
if  reasonably  convinced  of  its  impropriety.* 

When  very  young,  he  managed  the  fiery 
war-horse  Bucephalus,  which  no  one  else 
dared  to  mount ;  and  afterwards  he  built  a 
city  in  honor  of  this  noble  steed,  calling  it 
Bucephalia,  after  him.  When  he  attended  his 
father  to  battle,  he  showed  as  much  skill  as 
valor,  and  once  had  the  happiness  to  save 
his  parent's  life,  when  it  was  in  great  danger 
from  an  enemy. 

He  was  only  twenty  years  old  when  the 
death  of  PhiJip  raised  him  to  the  throne  ;  and 
so  high  were  his  abilities  rated,  that  he  was 
soon  after  declared  generalissimo,  or  chief 
commander,  of  the  Greeks,  against  the  Per- 
sians. He  once  proudly  asked  some  ambassa- 
dors, who,  he  supposed,  were  afraid,  of  him, 
•'  What  do  you  dread  most  ?  "  They  replied, 
''  We  are  afraid  of  nothing  but  the  falling  of 
the  sky  and  stars;  " — a  neat  way  of  telling 
him  that  they  feared  neither  him  nor  any 
other  man. 

At  Corinth,  he  saw  Diogenes  of  Sinope, 
surnamed  the  Cynic,  because  he  affected  great 
dislike  of  wealth  and  rank,  and  lived  in 
a  strange,  rude  manner.  Alexander  asked 
whether  he  wanted  any  thing.  "  Yes,"  said 
Diogenes  ;  "I  want  you  to  stand  out  of  my 
sunshine,  and  not  to  take  from  me  what  you 
cannot  give  me."     He  said  this,  I  imagine,  to 

*  Rollin. 


DIOGENES. 


143 


show  Alexander  that  there  were  things  which, 
great  as  he  was,  he  could  neither  govern  nor 
bestow  ;  for  certainly  he  could  not  rule  or  give 
the  sunshine.  Alexander  admired  this  speech, 
and  directly  remarked,  "  Were  I  not  Alexan- 
der, I  would  be  Diogenes  ;  "  as  much,  I  sup- 
pose, as  to  say,  "  Had  I  not  all  things  as  Al- 
exander, I  would  desire  to  scorn  all  things  as 
Diogenes." 

This  Diogenes,  of  whom  many  ludicrous 
st(^ies  are  related,  though  a  mere  churl  in  his 
manners,  was  a  philosopher  of  acute  genius, 
with  some  learning,  and  more  skill  in  the 
knowledge  of  mankind.  He  Avas  born  at  Si- 
nope,  a  city  of  Pont  us,  where  his  father  was 
what  in  modern  times  would  be  called  a 
banker :  being  accused  of  coining  false  men- 


144  DIOGENES. 

ey,  Diogenes  fled  to  Athens,  and  became  a 
pupil  of  Antisthenes,  whose  disposition  corre- 
sponded with  his  own. 

In  the  streets  of  Athens,  Diogenes  was  to 
be  seen  in  a  coarse  double  cloak,  which  served 
him  for  clothing  by  day  and  for  a  covering 
by  night.  He  boasted  that  the  porticoes  and 
public  buildings  were  erected  for  his  use,  and 
there  he  would  dine,  sleep,  and  lecture.  He 
carried  a  wallet  for  such  food  as  was  given 
him ;  and  was  accustomed  to  endure  the  ex- 
tremes of  heat  and  cold.  A  friend  had  prom- 
ised to  build  him  a  small  hut ;  but,  as  it  was 
not  finished  so  soon  as  the  philosopher  wished, 
he  took  up  his  abode  in  an  open  vessel,  which 
has  been  called  his  tub.  This  vessel,  or  oth- 
ers of  a  similcU'  kind,  he  is  represented  as 
making  his  constant  residence ;  but,  more 
probably,  he  only  lived  in  it  while  indulging 
his  angry  fit. 

In  his  old  age,  Diogenes,  making  a  voyage 
to  ^gina,  was  taken  by  pirates  to  Crete,  and 
sold  as  a  slave.  The  eccentricity  of  his  man- 
ners induced  Xeniades,  a  rich  Corinthian,  to 
purchase  him  :  Xeniades  took  him  to  Corinth, 
where,  after  some  experience  of  his  tal^its 
and  character,  he  gave  him  his  liberty  and  his 
children  to  educate.  He  also  committed  his 
household  concerns  to  his  care ;  and  was  so 
well  satisfied  with  his  conduct,  that  he  often 
declared  he  had  brought  a  good  genius  into 
his  house. 


ALEXANDER    THE    GREAT.  145 

It  was  here  that  the  interview  just  spoken 
of,  between  Diogenes  and  Alexander,  took 
place  ;  and  here  he  died,  B.  C,  324,  after  a 
life  of  the  greatest  indigence,  about  the  96th 
year  of  his  age. 

We  must  now  return  to  Alexander,  who  re- 
solved, before  he  marched  into  Asia,  to  con- 
sult the  Oracle  at  Delphi ;  but,  as  he  visited 
the  temple  on  a  day  on  which  consultations 
were  forbidden,  the  priestess  refused  to  go 
into  the  temple.  Alexander,  unaccustomed 
to  denial,  seized  her  by  the  arm,  and  drew 
her  forward.  "  Ah  !  my  son  !  you  are  irresisti- 
ble !  "  exclaimed  the  priestess.  These  words, 
he  said,  were  a  sufficient  answer,  and  he  went 
away,  well  pleased  with  the  speech  of  the 
holy  woman. 

He  was  of  a  generous  disposition,  if  giving 
largely  constitutes  generosity ;  and  once,  after 
having  made  splendid  presents,  and  given 
away  all  he  was  worth,  Perdiccas  asked  him, 
"My  lord,  what  have  you  kept  for  yourself? '* 
—  "Hope,"  replied  the  king.  "Then  that 
hope  ought  also  to  satisfy  us,"  replied  Perdic- 
cas, and  refused  the  gift  appointed  for  him. 

But  intoxication  was  the  bane  of  Alexan- 
der:  in  one  drunken  fit,  he  killed  his  kind 
friend  Clitus ;  in  another,  he  consented  to  the 
wishes  of  the  wicked  woman  Lai's,  and  with 
his  own  hand  set  fire  to  the  beautiful  palace 
of  Persepolis. 

His  behavior  to  the  family  of  Darius,  king 
13 


146  ALEXANDER    THE    GREAT. 

of  Persia,  after  he  had  taken  away  the  life  and 
the  crown  of  that  unfortunate  monarch,  is  bet- 
ter worth  remembering.  He  married  Statira, 
the  daughter  of  Darius,  and  treated  his  widow 
and  her  other  children  with  tenderness  and 
humanity. 

He  loved  his  friend  Hephaestion  faithfully 
and  warmly,  and  mourned  his  death  with  sin- 
cere feeling ;  he  allowed  him  to  speak  to  him 
with  freedom  and   honesty,   and  never    was 
offended   at  any  thing  he  said.     Sisygambis,  j 
the  mother  of  Darius,  with  his  wife  and  fam-  ' 
ily,  fell  into  the  hands  of  Alexander  after  the  | 
battle  of  Issus.     He  visited  them,  attended  by  ! 
his  friend  Hephsestion,  who  being   the  taller 
and  handsomer  man,  the  queens  took  him  fori 
the   conqueror,  and  fell  at  his  feet.      When  | 
informed  of  their  mistake,   they  were   much  1 
confounded  ;    but    Alexander   kindly   said,  — '] 
'-  Good  mother  !  you  have  not  been  mistaken  ; } 
Hephsestion  is  only  another  Alexander  "  —  a- 
neat   way  of  saying,  that  his  friend  was  hisj 
other  self. 

Whilst  he  was  dangerously  ill  at  Tarsus, 
owing  to  his  imprudently  bathing  in  the  River 
Cydnus  when  he  was  extremely  hot,  he  re- 
ceived a  letter  from  Parmenio,  bidding  him 
beware  of  his  physician  Philip,  for  Philip  had 
been  bribed  by  Darius  to  poison  him.  Alex- 
ander, when  he  had  read  this  letter,  put  it 
under  his  pillow.  When  Philip  came  in  Avith 
some  medicine,  Alexander  took  the  cup  and 


ALEXANDER    THE    GREAT.  147 

drank  off  the  draught,  having  first  given  Phil- 
ip the  letter  to  read,  and  fixing  his  eyes  upon 
him  as  he  did  so.  Philip  proved  worthy  of 
the  confidence  of  his  sovereign  ;  for  Alexander 
soon  after  recovered,  to  the  inexpressible  joy 
of  his  army. 

He  behaved  very  kindly  to  his  mother,  lis- 
tening to  her  reproofs  with  mildness  and  pa- 
tience ;  and  when  Antipater,  whom  he  left  to 
govern  Macedonia  in  his  absence,  wrote  a 
long  letter  complaining  of  Olympias,  the  king 
,  said,  with  a  smile,  "  Antipater  does  not  know, 
.  that  one  tear  shed  by  a  mother  will  obliterate 
ten  such  letters  as  this." 

In  India,  he  conquered  a  king,  named  Po- 
.  rus,  who  was  seven  feet  and  a  half  high  :  this 
^  singularly  tall  man,  when  introduced  to  Alex- 
ander, was  asked  by  him  how  he  would  be 
treated.  ''  Like  a  king,"  replied  Porus.  Al- 
exander was  so  much  pleased  with  this  an- 
swer, that  he  restored  his  kingdom  to  him, 
and  ever  afterwards  treated  him  with  kindness 
and  respect. 

But  I  cannot  go  on  any  longer  speaking  of 
Alexander ;  you  must  read  his  life  in  RoUin, 
and  then  you  will  know  all  the  good  and  all 
the  evil  of  his  character. 

He  died  —  and  what  then  became  of  his 
mighty  conquests  !  His  successors  quarrelled 
about  the  division  of  the  immense  territory  he 
had  subdued.  They  murdered  his  infant  son, 
his  mother,  and  his  two  wives,  Roxana  and 


148  THE    SAMNITES. 

Statira ;  and  in  a  very  few  years  the  countries 
he  had  intended  to  form  into  one  vast  empire, 
were  split  into  many  small  kingdoms.  Alex- 
ander died  at  Babylon,  aged  33,  B.  C.  323. 


CHAPTER    XXXII. 


THE  SAMNITES  CONQUER  THE  ROMANS,  AND  MAKE 
THEM  PASS  UNDER  THE  YOKE,  AT  CAUDIUM, 
B.  C.  321. 

Shortly  after  the  death  of  Alexander,  the 
Romans  endured  a  very  severe  disgrace.  They 
were  still  at  war  with  the  Samnites,  over  whom 
their  dictator,  Papirius  Cursor,  had  obtained  a 
splendid  victory,  the  very  year  before  the 
death  of  the  Macedonian  king ;  but,  five  years 
after  this  triumph,  they  were  doomed  to  feel  a 
bitter  reverse. 

The  Romans,  under  the  command  of  their 
consuls  Veturius  and  Posthumius,  were  de- 
coyed into  a  narrow  pass  by  the  Samnites, 
under  their  general,  Caius  Pontius.  When 
too  late,  they  found  themselves  surrounded  by 
the  enemy,  unable  to  go  forward  or  backward, 
and,  worse  than  all,  unable  to  defend  them- 
selves. Think  what  must  have  been  the  mis-j 
ery  of  these  brave  people !  Unhappily,  they 
gave  themselves  up  to  despair,  and  made  n< 


THE    SAMNITES.  149 

attempt  to  relieve  themselves.  Relief,  indeed, 
seemed  impossible  ;  but  many  things  that  seem 
at  first  sight  impossible,  can  be  performed  by 
patience,  ingenuity,  courage,  and  constancy. 
Few  things  are  really  impossible. 

The  Samnites,  overjoyed  to  see  their  old 
foes  at  their  mercy,  sent  off  to  the  aged 
Herennius,  the  father  of  their  general,  for  his 
advice  and  opinion.  Herennius  recommended 
his  son  to  permit  the  Romans  to  retire  in  hon- 
or and  safety  ;  but,  this  counsel  being  rejected, 
another  courier  was  despatched  to  the  vene- 
rable Samnite,  and  by  him  Herennius  sent 
word,  "  Then  put  them  all  to  the  sword  !  " 

Caius  fancied  his  father  was  superannuated, 
to  offer  opinions  so  various  ;  but  Herennius 
came  to  the  camp,  and  plainly  proved  his 
sense  and  judgment.  He  said  ''  If  you  give 
the  Romans  their  liberty,  so  generous  a  people 
will  not  forget  the  obligation.  But  if  you 
choose  harsher  measures,  destroy  them  all ; 
you  will  thus  weaken  their  force  essentially. 
Do  one  or  the  other." 

The  Samnites  chose  a  middle  course  ;  they 
made  the  Romans  pass  under  the  jugum^  of 
which  I  have  already  spoken,  and  thereby 
rendered  them  their  implacable  enemies,  with- 
out crippling  the  strength  by  which  they 
might  display  that  enmity. 

When  the  consuls  sent  to  sue  for  peace, 
Pontius  proposed  very  hard  terms.  The  Ro- 
man soldiers  groaned  aloud  when  they  heard 
13* 


150  THE    SAMNITES. 

what  shameful  submissions  were  expected 
from  them.  Sextulus,  a  wise  and  brave  of- 
ficer, reminded  them,  that  their  safety  was 
necessary  to  the  safety  of  their  country,  for 
they  formed  her  principal  army ;  and  that  it 
was  the  duty  of  true  patriots  to  suffer  shame, 
as  well  as  earn  glory,  for  the  sake  of  their 
country. 

He  spoke  well ;  the  Romans  acknowledged 
the  propriety  of  his  sentiments,  and  consented 
to  suffer  more  than  death  for  their  beloved 
Rome. 

First,  they  were  ordered  to  give  up  all  their 
arms  and  their  upper  garments ;  then  to  march 
out  from  their  confined  situation.  The  con- 
suls, half  naked,  and  stripped  of  every  mark 
of  rank,  led  the  way,  and  passed  under  the 
detested  yoke  ;  after  them  the  officers,  accord- 
ing to  their  rank  ;  and  last  of  all,  the  legions. 
I  am  ashamed  to  add  that  the  Samnites  stood 
by,  mocking  the  sufferers ;  and  they  even 
killed  such  as  returned  their  cruel  scoffs  by 
frowns  and  stern  looks. 

The  wretched  soldiers,  when  the  hated  cer- 
emony was  over,  lay  down  in  the  fields  and 
roads,  ashamed  to  enter  any  town  in  their 
forlorn  and  half  naked  condition.  But  the 
moment  that  the  inhabitants  of  Capua,  a  city 
not  far  from  the  pass  of  Caudium,  heard  of 
their  distress,  they  generously  despatched 
horses,  clothes,  and  food,  and  even  lictors  to 
attend  the  fallen  consuls. 


THE    SAMNITES- 


151 


The  rage  and  shame  of  the  Romans  may 
be  easily  conceived  :  they  immediately  began 
to  take  measures  to  wipe  off  the  stain  cast  on 
their  glory ;  and  it  was  not  long  before  Papir- 
ius  gained  another  important  victory  over  the 
Samnites.  These  were,  in  their  turn,  com- 
pelled to  taste  the  bitterness  of  that  lot  which 
they  had  assigned  to  the  Romans.  Papirius 
took  care  that  they  should  also  pass  under  the 
'  yoke,  and  endure  every  other  disgrace  they 
1  had  before  adjudged  to  their  enemies. 

The  Romans  were  so  exasperated  that  they 
would  not  lay  down  their  arms  until  they  had 
■  entirely  vanquished  the  Samnites.    Such  were 
the  consequences  of  provoking  a  valiant  peo- 
ple ! 

I  must  tell  you  what  happened  a  little  be- 
fore this  disgrace  of  the  Romans.  They  had 
conquered  a  city,  called  Privernum,  and  one 
of  the  senators  asked  the  deputies  of  the  Pri- 
vernates  what  punishment  his  fellow-citizens 
deserved  for  revolting  against  Rome.  "  Such 
as  those  deserve  who  think  themselves  worthy 
of  being  free,"  was  the  noble  response.  "  But," 
continued  the  senator,  "  what  kind  of  peace 
can  we  expect  to  have  with  you,  if  we  should 
forgive  you  ?  "  —  "  Fixed  and  perpetual,  if 
you  grant  us  an  honorable  one ;  but  if  your 
terms  are  bad,  a  peace  with  us  cannot  last 
long,"  replied  the  manly  Privernate. 

These  words  we  should  all  reflect  upon  ; 
for,  in  private  as  in  public  life,  all  treaties  and 


152  Alexander's  successors. 

bargains  should  be  fair  and  just  for  both  par- 
ties ;  and  then  to  both  they  will  be  desirable, 
and  consequently  binding. 

The    Romans   passed   under   the    yoke   at 
Caudium,  B.  C.  321. 


CHAPTER   XXXIII. 

ALEXANDER'S  SUCCESSORS.    EPICURUS. 

I  OUGHT  to  make  you  acquainted  with  two 
actions  of  Alexander  the  Great,  because  they 
are  both  often  spoken  of  Just  before  his  dan- 
gerous illness,  he  took  the  city  of  Gordium,  in 
Phrygia.  In  this  city  was  a  chariot,  to  the  pole 
of  which  a  knot  was  so  curiously  tied,  that  it 
was  thought  impossible  to  untwist  it.  There 
was  also  a  saying  in  the  city,  that  whosoever 
should  untie  this  knot  would  possess  the  em- 
pire of  Asia. 

Alexander  was  confident  that  the  saying 
related  to  him ;  but,  as  he  tried  in  vain  to 
untwist  the  well-concealed  strings,  his  pa- 
tience failed,  and  with  his  sword  he  cut 
asunder  the  knot  he  could  not  untie. 

In  the  midst  of  the  deserts  of  Libya,  in 
Africa,  Alexander  found  the  temple  of  Jupiter 
Amnion  ;  and  he  persuaded  the  priests  to  de- 
clare that  he  was  the  son  of  this  heathen  god. 


Alexander's  successors.  153 

From  that  time,  therefore,  he  always  called 
himself  "Alexander  the  king,  son  of  Jupiter 
Ammon."  Not  satisfied  with  this  preposter- 
ous folly,  he  even  desired  that  his  courtiers 
and  subjects  should  adore  him,  as  if  he  were 
really  something  more  than  mortal ;  but  we 
have  already  seen  how  this  immortal  god 
died  at  Babylon  ;  and  must  now  go  on  to  talk 
of  his  successors. 

Alexander  had  a  son  called  Hercules,  by 
one  of  his  wives  named  Barsine.  He  also  left 
a  brother,  Aridaeus.  Arideeus,  and  Alexander, 
the  son  of  Roxana,  born  after  the  death  of 
Alexander  the  Great,  were  both  named  to 
succeed  him;  but  their  power  and  their  lives 
were  soon  closed.  When  the  conqueror,  in 
his  dying  moments,  was  asked  to  whom  he 
left  the  empire,  he  replied,  "  To  the  most 
worthy." 

His  principal  officers,  by  degrees,  divided 
the  extensive  territory  amongst  them.  One 
of  them  destroyed  Hercules  and  Barsine  ;  and; 
another  killed  Cleopatra,  the  sister  of  Alexan- 
der, so  that  all  his  family  became  extinct. 

The  officers  first  bega,n  to  govern  only  as 
generals  and  governors,  and  each  took  a  par- 
ticular country  under  his  rule.  But,  after 
some  years,  they  assumed  higher  titles ;  they 
became  kings  and  emperors,  and  established 
themselves,  and  their  sons  after  them,  on  the 
thrones  which  they  had  raised.  Of  the  prin- 
cipal lords,  who  thus  took  upon  themselves  to 


154 


portion  out  the  empire  of  their  deceased  mon- 
arch, six  or  seven  were  more  conspicuous 
than  the  rest.  These  quarrehing  among 
themselves,  battles  followed,  which  impover- 
ished some  and  enriched  others,  till,  in  the 
end,  only  four  remained  in  power.  Of  these, 
Ptolemy  became  king  of  Egypt,  Cassander  of 
Macedonia  and  Greece,  Seleucus  of  Syria  and 
Babylon,  and  Lysimachus  of  Thrace. 

Eumenes,  the  best  of  them  all,  after  being 
governor  of  Cappadocia,  was  conquered  by 
Antigonus,  and  put  to  death. 

Of  the  above  four,  only  two,  Ptolemy  and 
Seleucus,  transmitted  their  empires  to  their 
children  ;  the  others  were  conquered,  so  that 
the  distant  provinces  regained  their  freedom. 

When  Alexander  left  Macedonia,  he  created 
Antipater  its  governor ;  and  he  continued  to 
enjoy  this  high  station  after  the  death  of  his 
master.  At  a  very  advanced  age,  he  died, 
leaving  his  son  Cassander  and  Polyperchon 
(the  oldest  of  Alexander's  generals)  joint  re- 
gents of  Macedonia.  Cassander  was  of  a  very 
ambitious  disposition ;  and  by  cunning  and 
force  contrived  to  become  sole  sovereign  of 
Macedon  and  Greece. 

The  kings  of  Egypt,  for  a  long  time,  all 
took  the  name  of  Ptolemy,  from  the  general 
of  that  name,  who  was  one  of  the  four  mon- 
archs  who  shared  Alexander's  chief  posses- 
sions amongst  them.  When  he  was  eighty 
years  old,  he  abdicated  the  throne,  and,  rais- 


ANTIOCHUS    AND    STRATONICE.  155 

ing  his  son  Ptolemy  Philadelphus  to  that 
elevated  station,  he  retired  from  the  business 
of  a  court,  and  died  peacefully  two  years 
afterwards.  This  Ptolemy  (Soter)  was  a 
learned  and  virtuous  man ;  he  founded  the 
famous  library  at  Alexandria,  in  Egypt,  which 
was  burned  nearly  a  thousand  years  *  after- 
wards, by  the  barbarous  Saracens  ;  and  he  it 
was  who  said,  "that  the  true  grandeur  of  a 
king  consisted  in  enriching  others,  not  himself." 

Lysimachus,  king  of  Thrace,  drove  Pyr- 
rhus,  king  of  Epirus,  from  Macedonia,  of 
which  kingdom  Pyrrhus  had  made  himself 
sovereign  after  the  death  of  Cassander  and 
Cassander's  sons.  Lysimachus  was  himself 
conquered  by  Seleucus,  and  slain. 

Seleucus  became  very  powerful ;  and  his 
posterity  were  called  the  Seleucidce.  He 
married  a  beautiful  young  woman,  named 
Stratonice.  Soon  after  the  marriage,  his 
son  Autiochus  fell  sick,  and  the  physicians 
could  not  discover  his  malady,  till  Erasis- 
tratus,  a  skilful  physician,  at  last  discovered 
the  cause  of  the  young  prince's  malady  ;  he 
observed  him  change  color,  sigh,  and  tremble, 
whenever  the  lovely  queen  entered  the  apart- 
ment ;  and  at  last  he  drew  from  him  a  confes- 
sion, that  he  loved  his  beauteous  mother-in- 
law.  "  But,"  added  the  young  prince,  "  I 
will  die  rather  than  declare  my  love,  and  thus 

*  A.  D.  640. 


156  EPICURUS. 


punish  myself  for  giving  my  heart  to  one  I 

never  can  marry." 

The  physician  resolved  to  make  an  attempt 
to  save  the  drooping  Antiochiis.  He  went  to 
the  king,  and  told  him  he  had  discovered  the 
cause  of  his  son's  illness.  ''  What  is  it  ?  "  asked 
Seleucus.  "  He  is  in  love  with  a  lady  whom 
he  cannot  marry,"  said  Erasistratus.  "  And 
why  cannot  he  marry  her  ?  "  —  ''  Because  she 
is  my  wife,"  replied  the  cunning  physician. 
"  And  will  you  not  part  with  her,  to  save  my 
son  ?  "  demanded  the  king,  "  My  lord,  put 
yourself  in  my  place  :  would  you  give  up  your 
wife?" — '"Yes,"  replied  the  tender  father; 
"I  would  give  him_  Stratonice,  and  my  king- 
dom too,  could  I  but  save  his  life."  —  '^  Then 
do  so,  my  lord  ;  for  it  is  your  wife,  and  not 
mine,  that  he  loves." 

Seleucus  did  not  hesitate  a  moment ;  but, 
with  the  consent  of  Stratonice,  gave  her  in 
marriage  to  Antiochus,  and  crowned  them 
king  and  queen  of  Syria;  but  it  is  related  that 
Antiochus  would  not  marry  Stratonice  till 
after  the  death  of  his  father. 

What  will  not  parents  sacrifice  for  their 
children  ! 

It  was  in  the  times  of  Seleucus  and  his  son 
that  the  philosopher  Epicurus  lived.  You 
have  frequently  heard  the  titles  of  Epicure 
and  Epiciu^ean  applied  to  persons  fond  of 
dainties,  or  given  to  luxurious  living :  hence 
you  might  be  led  to  suppose  that   Epicurus, 


EPICURUS.  157 

whose  name  has  been  thus  stigmatized,  was 
himself  more  devoted  to  the  pleasures  of  the 
table  than  to  study.  But  nothing  is  more 
distant  from  the  truth,  as  you  shall  presently 
hear. 

Epicurus  was  born  of  poor  parents,  at  Gar- 
gettus,  a  village  of  Attica ;  but  he  early  dis- 
tinguished himself  by  the  brilliancy  of  his 
genius,  and  at  fourteen  determined  to  be  a 
philosopher.  After  having  improved  himself, 
and  enriched  his  mind  by  travelling,  he  settled 
at  Athens,  in  his  thirty-sixth  year.  As  all  the 
public  places  were  preoccupied  by  other  philos- 
ophers, Epicurus  purchased  a  pleasant  garden, 
in  which  he  delivered  his  lectures ;  hence  his 
followers  were  denominated  "  Philosophers  of 
the  Garden  ;  "  and  he  was  the  first  who  intro- 
duced at  Athens  the  fashion  of  having  a  gar- 
den attached  to  a  house  in  the  city.  He  soon 
attracted  a  number  of  followers  by  the  sweet- 
ness and  gravity  of  his  manners,  as  well  as  by 
his  social  virtues.  His  daily  food  consisted 
of  bread  and  water,  with  such  fruits  as  his 
garden  produced.  Mark  this,  I  pray  you,  and 
observe  how  much  his  name  has  been  misused. 
A  little  milk  and  cheese  constituted  his  dain- 
ties ;  and  of  these  he  would  sometimes  partake 
when  he  wished  to  have  a  treat.  His  pupils 
generally  adopted  his  plan  ;  and  though  a  few 
would  drink  a  little  wine,  most  of  them  took 
only  water. 

Epicurus  taught  that  happiness  consists  in 
14 


158  EPICURUS. 

pleasure,  not  such  as  arises  from  sensual  grati- 
fication or  from  vice  ;  but  from  the  enjoy- 
ments of  the  mind  and  the  sweets  of  virtue. 

The  private  and  happy  life  which  Epicurus 
led  excited  the  jealousy  of  the  other  sects  ; 
and  as  he  would  never  deign  to  answer  or 
refute  their  calumnies,  his  doctrines  have  been 
unceasingly  censured,  and  the  very  name  of 
his  sect  has  been  made  proverbial  of  every 
thing  corrupt  in  principle  and  conduct. 

At  an  advanced  age,  Epjcurus  was  attacked 
by  a  very  painful  disorder  ;  yet  he  persevered 
in  teaching  till  his  seventy-second  year. 
During  a  fortnight  of  excruciating  agony,  he 
was  never  heard  to  murmur,  but  conversed  as 
usual  with  his  friends  upon  the  principles  of 
philosophy.  Finding  that  nature  was  ex- 
hausted, he  ordered  a  warm,  bath,  and,  stepping 
into  it,  drank  a  glass  of  wine  ;  and  then,  while 
exhorting  his  friends  not  to  forget  his  doctrines, 
he  calmly  expired,  B.  C.  270. 

A  letter,  which  he  wrote  just  before  his 
death  to  his  friend  Idomeneus,  is  expressive 
of  the  serene  state  of  his  mind  :  "  After  a  hap- 
py life,  I  am  arrived  at  the  last  day  of  it. 
The  excruciating  pain  of  m.y  disorder  is  coun- 
terbalanced by  the  mental  joy  I  experience 
from  the  recollection  of  our  discourses  and 
discoveries."  This  is  the  language  of  a  phi- 
losopher, not  of  a  man  of  pleasure. 

The  memory  of  this  amiable  philosopher 
was  so  much   venerated  by  his  disciples,  that 


PYRRHUS.  159 

they  each  had  a  picture  of  him,  which  they 
always  carried  about  them.  They  likewise 
had  his  likeness  on  cups  and  rings,  and  con- 
sidered it  a  good  omen. 


CHAPTER   XXXIV. 

PYRRHUS. 

Pyrrhus,  son  of  ^acides,  king  of  Epirus, 
seemed  born  to  be  a  soldier ;  for  he  was  con- 
tinually fighting  in  some  place  or  other  all  his 
life.  Epirus  was  a  province  of  Greece,  di- 
vided from  Macedonia  by  Mount  Pindus. 

Pyrrhus  was  an  infant  when  his  father  was 
killed :  at  twelve  years  old,  he  was,  however, 
made  king  of  Epirus  ;  but  at  seventeen  he  was 
deprived  of  his  crown.  He  fought  very 
bravely  at  the  battle  of  Ipsus,  when  Alexan- 
der's four  principal  captains  divided  his  con- 
quests among  them.  He  married  Antigone, 
the  daughter  of  Ptolemy,  king  of  Egypt ;  and, 
with  an  army  given  to  him  by  his  father-in- 
law,  he  returned  to  Greece,  and  repossessed 
himself  of  the  throne  of  Epirus.  Pyrrhus  now 
engaged  in  a  war  against  Macedonia,  expelled 
its  monarch,  Demetrius,  and  was  declared  its 
king  ;  but,  in  a  very  short  time,  he  was  him- 
self driven  from  Macedonia  by  Lysimachus. 


160  PTRRHUS. 

He  now  returned  to  Epirus,  where  he  might 
have  spent  a  happy  and  useful  life,  protecting 
and  serving  his  own  subjects,  and  fulfilling 
the  various  duties  of  life ;  but  his  warlike 
disposition  made  him  averse  to  peace,  and  it 
seems  that  he  chose  to  indulge  this  disposition. 

The  people  of  Tarentum  were  then  at  war 
with  the  Romans,  and  sent  to  beg  of  Pyrrhus 
that  he  would  assist  them.  He  began  gladly 
to  make  preparations  for  passing  over  to  Italy, 
when  Cineas,  a  wise  and  good  man,  asked 
him  what  were  his  intentions  and  expecta- 
tions. 

''  To  conquer  Rome,"  said  Pyrrhus. 

*'  And  what  will  you  do  next,  my  lord? " 

''  Next,  I  will  conquer  Italy." 

''And  after  that?" 

''  We  will  subdue  Carthage,  Macedonia,  all 
Africa,  and  all  Greece." 

"  And  when  we  have  conquered  all  we  can, 
what  shall  we  do  ?  " 

"  Do  !  Why,  then  we  will  sit  down,  and 
spend  our  time  in  peace  and  comfort." 

"  Ah  !  my  lord  !  "  said  the  wise  Cineas, 
''what  prevents  our  being  in  peace  and  com- 
fort now?  " 

Pray  stop,  and  observe  a  little  what  was 
the  end  of  all  Alexander's  mighty  conquests  ! 
Seleucus  and  Ptolemy  became  great  kings; 
and  what  they  did  not  possess  fell  back  into 
the  hands  of  the  natives  of  each  place.  Alex- 
ander's wives,   children,  and  relatives,  were 


PYRRHUS.  161 

killed,  that  they  might  not  interfere  with  the 
ambition  of  the  great  captains.  Alexander 
himself  died  in  the  prime  of  life  ;  his  death 
unquestionably  caused  by  the  excessive  indul- 
gence of  his  passions.  Let  us  see  to  what  the 
ambition  of  Pyrrhus  conducted  him. 

He  went  to  Italy,  and  speedily  conquered 
the  Romans,  under  their  consul  Livinius. 
This  victory  was  thought  to  have  been  gained 
by  the  effect  produced  by  some  elephants  in 
the  army  of  Pyrrhus,  the  Roman  horses  taking 
fright  at  the  sight  of  these  monstrous  animals. 
Pyrrhus  was  surprised  at  the  valiant  and  skil- 
ful conduct  of  the  Romans,  for  at  that  time 
the  Greeks  called  all  nations  but  their  own 
barbarians  —  a  mode  of  expression  in  which 
the  Romans  copied  them,  as  they  also  named 
all  persons  barbarians  except  themselves. 

Pyrrhus  gained  a  second  victory  ;  but  after 
that,  he  found  himself  losing  ground  daily,  and 
was  glad  to  leave  Italy  before  he  was  entire- 
ly conquered.  The  people  of  Sicily  sent  for 
him  ;  and  he  went  to  them,  well  pleased  with 
the  pretext  they  afforded  him  for  quitting  the 
faUing  Tarentines. 

In  Sicily,  he  also  experienced  a  changeful 
fortune,  first  prosperous  and  then  adverse.  He 
once  more  returned  to  Italy,  being  almost 
driven  from  Syracuse  by  the  Carthaginians ; 
again  he  conquered  the  Romans,  and  again 
fled  before  them  ;  again  he  subdued  Macedo- 
nia, again  he  lost  it.  He  laid  siege  to  Sparta, 
14* 


162  PTRRHUS. 

but  could  not  take  it ;  and  at  last  lost  his  life, 
when  trying  to  conquer  the  city  of  Argos  ;  and 
how,  do  you  think  ?  —  By  the  hands  of  a 
woman.  When  fighting  close  by  the  walls, 
a  mother  saw  him  combating  with  her  son  ; 
and,  to  save  her  child,  she  threw  a  large  tile 
from  the  walls  on  which  she  was  standing 
upon  Pyrrhus ;  the  tile  struck  him  on  the 
head;  he  fell  down,  and  a  soldier,  seeing  him 
fall,  instantly  cut  off  his  head. 

Such  was  the  end  of  Pyrrhus !  And  such 
is  hkely  to  be  the  end  of  those  who  love  war, 
and  give  themselves  up  to  ambition. 

I  must  now  tell  you  that,  when  he  was  first 
in  Italy,  one  of  his  physicians  told  the  Ro- 
mans he  would  poison  Pyrrhus,  if  they  would 
give  him  a  large  reward.  PVbricius,  the  Ro- 
man general,  was  shocked  at  his  treachery, 
and  directly  informed  Pyrrhus  of  it,  sending 
away  the  physician  with  scorn ;  "  for,"  said 
Fabricius,  "  we  should  be  honorable  even  to 
our  enemies." 

This  same  Fabricius  was  the  man  whom 
Pyrrhus  strove  to  master,  first  by  fear,  in 
showing  him  an  enormous  elephant,  an  animal 
the  Roman  had  never  seen  before  ;  and  next 
by  bribery,  in  offering  him  vast  sums  of 
money,  if  he  would  procure  him  an  advan- 
tageous treaty  with  the  Romans.  But  Fabri- 
cius, firm  and  honest,  refused  all  his  offers, 
saying  with  a  smile,  "  I  neither  fear  your 
elephant,  nor  value  your  gold." 


PYRRHUS. 


163 


Pyrrhiis  was  killed  B.  C.  272,  He  is  said 
to  have  been  the  first  general  who  understood 
and  taught  the  art  of  encampment ;  and  from 
him  the  Romans  learnt  much  of  the  art  of 
war.  Indeed,  you  will  observe  that  the  Ro- 
mans tried  to  learn  all  they  could,  even  from 
their  enemies ;  and  it  was  by  this  conduct 
they  became  so  great. 


CHAPTER    XXXV. 


FIRST   PUNIC   WAR.    REGULUS. 


The   wars  between  the  Romans  and  the 
Carthaginians   were  called  Punic  wars,    be- 


164  FIRST    PUNIC    WAR. 

cause  the  Carthaginians  came  originally  from 
Phosnice,  and  were  named  Phceni. 

The  first  Punic  war  was  caused  by  the 
dissensions  of  the  Sicilians,  some  of  whom 
applied  to  the  Romans  for  assistance,  and  some 
solicited  succors  from  Carthage.  Now,  the 
very  same  year  in  which  the  kings  were  ex- 
pelled from  Rome,*  (you  remember,  I  dare 
say,  the  story  of  Tarquin  and  Lucretia,)  the 
Romans  engaged,  by  a  treaty  with  Carthage, 
not  to  interfere  with  the  trade  and  the  pos- 
sessions of  the  Carthaginians. 

But  when  Pyrrhus  was  killed,  and  the  Ro- 
mans were  no  longer  harassed  by  his  attacks, 
they  had  time  to  think  of  Carthage,  whose 
growing  power  and  wealth  they  heard  of  with 
envy.  Athens,  you  know,  was  renowned  for 
skill  in  the  arts  of  sculpture,  oratory,  paint- 
ing, and  poetry.  Carthage  was  remarkable  for 
riches  and  commerce.  Rome  was  celebrated 
for  her  extensive  conquests :  she  once  ruled 
over  almost  the  whole  of  the  known  earth, 
and  was  entitled  Queen  of  the  World. 

The  first  expedition  the  Romans  made  out 
of  Italy  was  when  they  crossed  over  to  Sicily 
and  took  the  city  of  Messina.  They  next 
thought  of  conquering  the  Carthaginians  at 
sea ;  but  they  had  no  ships  ;  and  Carthage 
possessed  a  fine  fleet.  Ships  in  those  days 
were  very  different  from  what  they  are  now  : 
they  were  rowed  along  by  oars ;  and,  I  sup- 

•  See  p.  64 


FIRST    PUNIC    WAR.  165 

pose-,  were  not  much  better  than  our  large 
boats  or  barges. 

:  The  Romans,  I  have  aheady  said,  were 
always  eager  to  gain  knowledge  —  the  sure 
method  of  becoming  wise ;  and,  a  Carthagin- 
ian galley,  or  ship,  having  been  wrecked  on 
the  coast  of  Italy,  the  Romans  began  building 
vessels  like  it.  At  first,  the  ships  they  con- 
structed were  rude  and  clumsy  ;  first  attempts 
in  every  art  must  be  awkward ;  but  the  Ro- 
mans knew  that  people  must  persevere,  if  they 
desire  or  expect  to  acquire  excellence. 

After  some  time,  they  built  very  neat  gal- 
leys, and  had  many  of  them.  As  the  property 
of  the  loadstone  was  not  then  known,  they 
had  no  compass  to  steer  by;  therefore  they 
kept  in  sight  of  land,  or  sailed  by  observing 
the  situation  of  the  stars. 

So  well  did  the  Romans  manage,  that  they 
soon  conquered  the  Carthaginian  fleet.  The 
excellent  but  unfortunate  Regulus,  with  a 
fleet  of  three  hundred  and  thirty  vessels,  each 
vessel  having  three  hundred  rowers  and  one 
hundred  and  twenty  soldiers,  beat  the  navy 
of  Carthage,  commanded  by  Hanno  and  Ha- 
milcar. 

This  victory  encouraged  them  so  much, 
that  they  boldly  crossed  the  Mare  Internum, 
(now  called  the  Mediterranean  Sea,)  and, 
landing  in  Africa,  took  the  small  town  of 
Clypea. 

Regulus  was  ordered  to  remain  there,  as 


166  REGULUS. 

proconsul,  to  command  the  troops;  but  he 
earnestly  requested  leave  to  return  home,  as 
he  had  a  small  estate  of  seven  acres,  which 
required  his  care.  A  person  was  directed  to 
perform  this  service,  and  then  Regulus,  satis- 
fied that  his  wife  and  children  would  have 
food,  willingly  devoted  himself  to  his  public 
duties. 

The  Carthaginians  had  procured  forces  from 
Sparta  under  Xantippus  ;  and,  thus  supported, 
defeated  the  Romans,  and  took  Regulus  pris- 
oner. Sorry  am  I  to  add,  that  the  Carthagin- 
ians were  so  vexed  at  owing  this  victory  to 
the  spirit  and  presence  of  their  warlike  allies, 
that,  when  they  sent  home  Xantippus  in  their 
own  vessels,  they  gave  orders  that  he  and  his 
attendants  should  be  massacred.  What  per- 
fidious cruelty  !     What  ingratitude  ! 

Regulus  was  kept  in  prison  many  years ; 
and  was  then  sent  to  Rome,  to  propose  peace 
and  an  exchange  of  prisoners ;  having  been 
first  made  to  take  an  oath  that  he  would  re- 
turn to  Carthage,  if  he  did  not  succeed  in  his 
proposals.  When  this  noble  Roman  made  his 
appearance  among  his  countrymen,  they  were 
all  touched  by  his  misfortunes,  and  were  will- 
ing to  purchase  his  freedom  by  granting  the 
request  of  his  enemies.  The  generous  Reg^ 
ulus  would  not  allow  his  country  to  suffer  for 
his  sake  ;  and,  though  he  knew  that  torture 
and  death  awaited  him  at  Carthage,  he  begged 
the  Romans  would  send  him  back,  and  refuse 


REGULUS. 


ler 


the  Carthaginians  their  prisoners ;  for  among 
these  prisoners  were  many  skilful  generals  and 
vigorous  young  men,  who  would  thus  be  set 
at  liberty  to  fight  against  Rome.* 

The  senate  with  pain  consented  to  the  dis- 
interested advice  of  Regulus.  In  spite  of  the 
tears  of  his  wife,  the  embraces  of  his  chil- 
dren, the  prayers  of  his  friends,  he  returned  to 
Carthage.  With  aching  hearts  you  will  hear, 
that,  as  soon  as  the  cruel  Carthaginians  saw 
him  come  back  with  a  refusal,  they  were  so 
enraged  that  they  put  him  to  every  kind  of 


pain  they  could  invent  —  to  tortures  so  bar- 
barous, that  I  cannot  write  a  description  of 
them,    and  you  could  not   read   an   account 


Rollin 


168  REGULUS. 

of  them  without  pain.  He  bore  all  the  an- 
guish in  patient  silence,  and  when,  finally,  they 
placed  him  in  a  barrel  through  which  sharp 
nails  were  driven,  he  died  as  heroically  as  he 
had  lived. 

After  various  successes  on  both  sides,  the 
Romans  gained  so  complete  a  victory,  that  the 
Carthaginians  deemed  it  necessary  to  propose 
terms  of  peace.  They  agreed  to  quit  Sicily, 
return  all  the  prisoners  they  had  taken,  and 
pay  the  Romans  a  large  sum  of  money.  Thus 
ended  the  first  Punic  war,  after  having  con- 
tinued twenty-three  years,  B.  C.  241. 


CHAPTER    XXXVI. 

SECOND  PUNIC   WAR.     HANNIBAL. 

Twenty-two  years  elapsed  between  the  end 
of  the  first  and  the  beginning  of  the  second 
Punic  war :  during  this  peace  between  the 
Romans  and  Carthaginians,  nothing  very  re- 
markable  happened. 

Comedies  were  first  acted  in  Rome  B.  C. 
240.  In  B.  C.  224,  the  Romans  first  crossed 
the  Po,  and  entered  the  territories  of  the 
Gauls,  over  whom  the  consul  gained  a  great 
victory;  and  Marcellus  killed  their  king  Viri- 
domarus  with  his  own  hand,  B.  C.  222.     The 


HANNIBAL.  169 

Gauls  were  then  a  rude  and  fierce  nation,  half 
naked,  and  so  barbarous  as  to  make  drinking- 
cups  of  the  skulls  of  their  enemies  slain  in 
battle.  But  mark  the  power  of  learning  to 
change  the  minds  of  men  :  the  country  of  the 
savage  Gauls  is  now  called  France  ;  and  what 
a  polite  and  refined  people  are  the  French  ! 
Spain,  a  warlike  nation,  and  abounding  in 
mines  of  gold  and  silver,  was  then  under  the 
dominion  of  Carthage. 

I  must  now  introduce  to  you  Hannibal,  the 
son  of  Hamilcar,  a  famous  Carthaginian  gen- 
eral. Like  most  other  great  men,  he  was  ca- 
pable of  bearing  great  fatigue  and  hardship, 
heat  and  cold,  good  and  bad  fortune,  without 
shrinking  or  complaining.  His  dress  was 
simple,  and  he  never  indulged  his  appetite  ; 
he  ate,  drank,  and  slept,  only  so  much  as  to 
support  his  body,  and  give  him  strength  and 
ability  to  perform  the  intentions  of  his  mighty 
mind.  He  knew  how  to  obey,  as  well  as  to 
command ;  yet  his  defects  are  said  to  have 
been  as  prominent  as  his  excellences.  He 
was  cruel,  negUgent  of  his  truth  and  honor, 
and  inattentive  to  the  duties  of  religion.  This 
is  the  character  given  of  him  by  Livy,  a  Ro- 
man historian,  who,  perhaps,  did  not  speak 
impartially  of  this  enemy  of  Rome.  When 
you  have  read  an  account  of  his  actions,  you 
will  judge  how  far  Livy  may  be  credited. 

Hannibal  took  the  city  of  Saguntum,  in 
Spain  i  and  this  place,  being  considered  as  an 
15 


170  SECOND     PUNIC    WAR. 

ally  of  the  Romans,  caused  the  second  Punic 
war.  The  two  nations,  therefore,  beaan  to 
make  preparations  for  attacking  each  other. 
It  IS   recorded,   that   Hamilcar  made  his  son 


Hannibal,  at  nhie  years  old.  take  a  solemn 
oath  at  the  altar,  that  he  would,  as  soon  as 
possible,  declare  himself  the  enemy  of  Rome  : 
he  was  therefore  prompt  and  anxious  in  pro- 
viding men  and  arms. 

Open  the  map.  and  mark  the  progress  of  the 
Carthaginian  general  :  crossing  the  sea  from 
Africa  to  Europe,  then  marching  through 
Spain,  and  over  the  Pyrenean  hills  to  Gaul, 
along  the  coast  of  Gaul,  and  over  the  snow- 
topped  Alps,  to  Italy  —  aland  journey  of  one 
thousand  miles.*     Observe,  too.  that  he  passed 

•  Rollin. 


HANNIBAL.  171 

through  various  barbarous  nations,  with  most 
of  whom  he  had  to  fight  for  a  passage ;  the 
Gauls,  amongst  the  rest,  attempting  to  oppose 
his  progress. 

Hannibal  Avas  only  twenty-six  years  old 
when  he  began  this  wonderful  enterprise  ;  and 
it  was  against  the  most  powerful  people  then 
existing.  Several  Roman  generals  of  approved 
talent  and  valor  opposed  him  ;  yet  you  will 
see  how  nearly  he  was  on  the  point  of  making 
himself  master  of  Rome  itself 

At  the  celebrated  battle  of  Cannae,  B.  C.  216, 
the  Carthaginians  totally  routed  a  fine  Roman 
army,  under  the  command  of  their  consuls. 
Varro,  one  of  them,  gave  orders  for  battle, 
against  the  wish  of  his  colleague,  Paulus 
iEmilius ;  but,  the  encounter  once  begun, 
^milius  fought  with  his  utmost  skill  and 
bravery,  and  died  covered  with  wounds.  Just 
before  his  death,  he  was  found  sitting  on  a 
stone,  faint  and  streaming  with  blood.  The 
soldier  who  discovered  him,  besought  him  to 
mount  his  horse,  and  put  himself  under  his 
protection.  "  No,"  said  ^milius  ;  "  I  thank 
you  heartily,  but  I  will  not  clog  you  with  my 
sinking  frame  :  go  —  hasten  to  Rome  ;  tell 
the  senate  of  this  day's  disaster,  and  bid  them 
fortify  the  city,  for  the  enemy  are  approaching 
it.  I  will  die  with  my  slaughtered  soldiers, 
that  I  may  neither  suffer  the  indignation  of 
Rome  myself,  nor  be  called  upon  to  give  testi- 
mony against  my  colleague  to  prove  my  own 


172  SECOND    PUNIC    WAR. 

innocence."      With   this  noble  sentiment  on 
his  lips,  the  intrepid  consul  expired. 

It  has  been  frequently  said,  that,  if  Hannibal' 
had  marched  to  Rome  directly  after  the  battle 
of  Cann^,  he  would  certainly  have  taken  that 
city ;  but,  at  this  distance  of  time,  it  must  be 
very  difficult  to  judge  of  what  could,  and 
what  could  not,  have  been  done.  Even  when 
commenting  on  the  battles  that  occur  in  our 
own  times,  we  ought  to  speak  with  great  dif- 
fidence. It  is  very  easy  for  persons,  sitting  in 
safety  and  comfort,  in  a  peaceful  and  protected 
home,  to  talk  of  what  they  would  do. 

The  most  admired  antagonist  of  Hannibal 
was  Scipio,  surnamed  Africanus,  from  his  suc- 
cessful engagements  in  Africa.  When  very 
young,  he  saved  the  life  of  his  father  in  a 
battle  ;  and,  after  the  fatal  overthrow  at  Can- 
nae, he  ralUed  around  him  a  few  spirited 
youths,  and  made  a  vow  to  fight  for  his  coun- 
try whilst  a  drop  of  blood  remained  in  his 
veins  ;  then,  fiercely  drawing  his  sword,  he 
exclaimed,  "  Whoever  is  against  Rome,  this 
sword  is  against  him  !  " 

It  was  Scipio  who  advised  that  the  Romans 
should  force  the  Carthaginians  to  quit  Italy 
by  carrying  the  war  into  Africa.  He  himself 
headed  the  troops  sent  against  Carthage  ;  and, 
just  as  he  had  predicted,  Hannibal  was  re- 
called in  great  haste  to  protect  his  native  city. 
Thus,  after  suffering  sixteen  years  under  the 
dread  of    an  invading    foe,   who  threatened 


HANNIBAL.  173 

their  freedom,  the  Romans  saw  themselves 
delivered  from  the  apprehensions  of  being 
mastered. 

Hannibal  and  Scipio  had  an  interesting  in- 
terview, in  which  Hannibal  in  vain  strove  to 
procure  honorable  terms  of  peace.  The  youth- 
ful Roman  answered  him  proudly  and  dis- 
dainfully, and  the  armies  prepared  for  battle. 

The  decisive  contest  took  place  at  Zama,  a 
town  not  far  from  Carthage,  and  the  troops  of 
that  wealthy  city  were  entirely  defeated,  B.  C. 
202.  The  terms  of  peace  granted  by  the 
Romans  in  the  following  year  were  sufficiently 
hard,  and  their  hatred  of  Hannibal  was  bitter 
and  constant. 

Hannibal  did  not  lose  his  life  at  Zama,  but 
he  lived  to  lament  that  he  had  not  lost  it 
honorably  there  ^  for  the  Romans  hunted  him 
from  place  to  place,  till  at  last  the  brave,  un- 
fortunate, and  venerable  fugitive  took  poison. 
"  Let  us  relieve  the  Romans  of  their  fears," 
said  he,  ^-  by  closing  the  existence  of  a  feeble 
old  man."  He  died  at  seventy  years  of  age, 
at  the  court  of  Prusias,  king  of  Bithyniaj 
B.  C.  183. 

Scipio  Africanus  may  be  said  to  have  ended 
the  second  Punic  war  by  his  victory  at  Zama  ; 
though  the  treaty  of  peace  was  not  concluded 
till  the  next  year,  B.  C.  201, 
15* 


il74  ARCHIMEDES. 

CHAPTER    XXXYII. 

ARCHIMEDES.    PHILOPCEMEN.    PERSEUS. 

A  FEW  years  after  the  battle  of  Cannge, 
Marcellus  laid  siege  to  Syracuse ;  and,  ia 
spite  of  the  dreadful  machines  invented  by 
Archimedes,  he  finally  took  it.  You  know- 
that,  in  battles  now,  soldiers  use  muskets  and 
cannons  charged  with  gunpowder  and  balls. 
But  gunpowder  is  quite  a  modern  inve*:tion; 
and  before  it  was  known,  soldiers  fought  with 
swords,  and  clubs,  and  javelins,  and  bows  and 
arrows.  When  towns  were  attacked,  large 
machines  were  built  to  batter  down  houses 
and  walls,  and  to  fling  large  stones  upon  the 
enemy.  Archimedes,  the  Syracusan,  was  re- 
markably clever  in  contriving  these  battering- 
rams,  and  other  offensive  and  defensive  weap- 
ons. He  was  related  to  Hiero  H.,  a  sensible 
and  good  king  of  Syracuse.  It  was  Archime- 
des who  said,  "if  he  had  a  place  to  rest  his 
lever  upon,  he  could  move  the  world."  Hiero 
n.  was  very  friendly  to  the  Romans ;  but, 
when  he  died,  his  grandson  Hieronymus, 
young  and  imprudent,  was  so  much  disliked, 
that  he  was  killed  in  a  conspiracy,  and,  other 
troubles  following,  the  Romans  interposed, 
and  made  themselves  masters  of  Syracuse, 
B.  C.  212. 


PHILOPCEMEN.  176 

Marcellus  was  acquainted  with  the  extraor- 
dinary abilities  of  Archimedes  ;  and,  when  he 
found  that  the  city  of  Syracuse  had  fallen 
into  his  hands,  he  gave  orders  that  Archimedes 
should  be  conducted  to  him  in  safety.  When 
the  city  was  taken,  this  philosopher  was  so 
absorbed  in  study,  that  he  was  not  aware  of 
the  event,  until  a  soldier,  rushing  into  his 
apartment,  bade  him  rise  and"  follow  him. 
Archimedes  desired  him  to  wait  a  moment, 
until  he  had  solved  the  problem,  or  question, 
that  he  was  working.  The  man,  not  under- 
standing what  he  was  talking  about,  and  pro- 
voked at  his  disobedience,  drew  his  sword  and 
killed  him  on  the  spot.  Marcellus  was  sin- 
cerely afflicted  at  this  melancholy  event. 

Two  years  after  the  taking  of  Syracuse  by 
Marcellus,  Philopoemen,  an  admirable  man, 
was  chosen  captain-general  of  the  Achaeans. 
Twelve  small  cities  in  Greece  had  united  for 
mutual  defence,  under  the  name  of  the  Achcean 
League,  in  very  early  times ;  but  they  had 
afterwards  lost  their  liberty,  and  were  severally 
ruled  by  tyrants  and  masters.  When  Pyrrhus 
was  moving  about,  fighting  from  place  to 
place,  these  little  cities  recovered  their  free- 
dom, and  again  united  under  their  ancient 
title.  To  command  the  forces  of  these  con- 
nected cities,  Philopoemen  was  selected.  He 
stained  his  character  by  his  conduct  towards 
the  Spartans,  numbers  of  whom  were  cruelly 
butchered  when  that  city  was  taken  by  him ; 


176  PHILOPffiMEN. 

the  walls  were  thrown  down,  and  the  people 
subjected  to  the  Achseans.  The  Spartans  did 
not  much  regard  the  demoUtion  of  the  walls, 
because  they  had  long  guarded  their  city  by 
the  valor  of  their  citizens ;  and,  in  the  sequel, 
Philopoemen  suffered  as  he  had  made  them 
suffer ;  for,  at  seventy  years  of  age,  he  was 
taken  prisoner  when  besieging  Messina.  The 
Messinians  were  so  delighted  to  possess  this 
illustrious  man  in  bondage,  that  they  dragged 
him  in  chains  to  the  public  theatre,  for  crowds 
to  gaze  upon  him.  At  night,  he  was  put  into 
a  dungeon,  and  the  jailer  carried  to  him  a 
dose  of  poison.  He  calmly  received  the  cup, 
and,  having  heard  that  most  of  his  friends  had 
escaped  by  flight,  he  said,  ''  Then  I  find  we 
are  not  entirely  unfortunate  ;  "  and,  drinking 
off  the  fatal  draught,  without  a  murmur,  laid 
himself  down  and  expired,  B.  C.  183. 

Another  remarkable  personage  living  at  this 
time  was  Perseus,  king  of  Macedon  ;  he  was 
the  son  of  Philip,  king  of  Macedon,  a  great 
warrior,  and  almost  as  ambitious  as  his  name- 
sake Philip,  the  father  of  Alexander  the  Great. 

Do  observe  this  latter  PhiHp  is  distinguished 
as  being  the  parent  of  Alexander  !  Can  you 
not  think  how  happy  every  parent  must  be, 
who  is  distinguished  by  the  virtues  and  talents 
of  his  children?  For  my  part,  I  desire  no 
higher  fame  than  being  known  as  the  mother 
of  amiable  and  useful  members  of  society. 

Perseus  did  not  give  his  father  much  reason 


PERSEUS.  177 

to  be  proud  of  him  ;  for  he  was  jealous  of  his 
brother  Demetrius,  who,  though  five  years 
youna^er,  was  so  much  beloved  by  the  people 
that  Perseus  hated  and  envied  him.  He  per- 
suaded PhiUp  to  believe  that  Demetrius  pre- 
ferred the  Romans,  with  whom  he  had  lived 
many  years  as  a  hostage ;  and  so  artfully 
infiamed  the  king,  that  he  ordered  Demetrius 
to  be  smothered.  In  RoHin  you  will  read  a 
most  interesting  account  of  this  affair  ;  a  father 
acting  as  a  judge  between  two  sons,  one  ac- 
cusing and  the  other  explaining. 

When  it  was  too  late,  PhiHp  discovered  the 
falsehood  of  Perseus ;  and  he  died  broken- 
hearted for  his  cruelty  to  the  virtuous  and 
youthful  Demetrius. 

Perseus  then  became  king,  and  tried  to 
persuade  the  Achajans  to  join  him  in  his  se- 
cret preparations  against  Rome ;  and,  soon 
after,   he    openly  declared  hostilities.      After 


178  PERSEUS. 

being  sometimes  the  conqueror  and  sometimes 
the  conquered,  he  was  at  length  vanquished 
by  Pauhis  jEmiUus,  at  Pydna,  and  himself 
and  all  his  family  were  tak'en  prisoners.  They 
were  all  carried  to  Rome,  and  served  to  swell 
the  train  of  the  conqueror  when  he  entered 
that  city  in  triumph.  Perseus  starved  himself 
to  death,  and  Macedonia  was  made  a  province 
of  Rome.  I  have  spoken  of  Archimedes, 
Philoposmen,  and  Perseus  together,  because 
they  flourished  soon  after  each  other. 
Archimedes  died     .     .     .     ,     B.  C.  212 

Philopoemen 183 

Perseus 167 


CHAPTER    XXXYIII. 

THIRD  PUNIC  WAR.     CARTHAGE  DESTROYED. 

After  almost  half  a  century  of  peace,  the 
Romans  and  Carthaginians  were  again  em- 
broiled in  war.  This  third  and  final  war 
lasted  only  four  years,  and  ended  with  the 
destruction  of  Carthage. 

The  Romans  were  now  become  a  very 
powerful  people ;  and,  as  they  gained  new 
territories,  they  more  greedily  desired  fresh 
dominion.  The  more  they  conquered,  the 
more  they  wished  to  conquer.     It  happened 


THIRD    PUNIC    WAR.  179 

that  Masinissa,  king  of  Numidia,  attempted 
to  possess  himself  of  a  territory  which  the 
Carthaginians  considered  as  their  own  ;  and 
they  therefore  opposed  the  invading  troops. 
The  Romans,  glad  of  a  pretext  to  attack  the 
Carthaginians,  (of  whose  consequence  and 
wealth  they  were  very  jealous,)  called  this 
opposition  a  breach  of  the  treaty  of  peace  ; 
because,  they  said,  the  Numidians  were  the 
allies  of  Rome  ;  and  they  began  to  make 
preparations  for  war. 

The  Carthaginians  had  suffered  so  severely 
in  the  former  war,  that  they  trembled  at  the 
idea  of  being  again  embroiled  with  the  proud 
and  successful  Romans ;  they  therefore  sent  a 
deputation  to  Rome,  to  settle  the  matter  pa- 
cifically if  possible.  The  artful  senate  gave 
no  decisive  answer.  Cato  the  Censor,  and 
Nasica,  the  son-in-law  of  Scipio  Africanus, 
voted  against  each  other ;  but  they  both  seem 
to  have  consulted  the  advantage  of  Rome, 
rather  than  her  honor  or  the  justice  of  the 
case. 

Cato  was  for  war  ;  and  war  was  accordingly 
soon  after  declared.  A  second  deputation  from 
Carthage  sought  in  vain  to  avert  the  threat- 
ened evil.  The  demands  made  upon  the 
Carthaginians  were  more  disgraceful  to,  the 
Romans  who  made  them  than  to  the  people 
who  submitted  to  them.  They  were  com- 
manded to  promise  implicit  obedience,  and  to 
send  three  hundred  hostages,  as  security  for 


180  THIRD    PUNIC    WAR. 

their  future  good  conduct.  The  promise  was 
given,  and  the  Carthaginians  yielded  up  their 
children  as  the  required  hostages.  They  were 
next  ordered  to  give  up  all  their  arms  ;  this 
order  was  also  obeyed.  And  what  think  you 
was  the  next  command  of  the  cruel,  and  un- 
generous, and  unjust  Romans?  —  Why,  that 
the  Carthaginians  should  quit  their  beloved 
city,  and  allow  it  to  be  levelled  with  the 
ground.  Do  not  your  hearts  swell  with  in- 
dignation at  these  most  iniquitous  demands  ? 
Do  you  not  feel  that,  as  citizens  of  a  free 
state,  you  would  never  submit  to  such  ?  I  am 
happy  to  say,  the  Carthaginians  felt  as  they 
ought  on  this  last  shameless  requisition  ;  they 
found  that  they  had  mistaken  the  character  of 
the  Romans,  who,  puffed  up  with  success,  had 
ceased  to  be  just  or  generous. 

The  Carthaginians  unanimously  resolved 
that,  since  they  could  not  save  their  city, 
they  would  perish  with  her;  but,  despoiled 
of  their  arms,  and  three  hundred  of  their 
youths,  their  efforts  were  unequal  to  their 
wishes.  It  was  hardly  possible  they  could 
conquer  an  armed  force  without  arms.  One 
cannot  help  wishing  that  their  bodily  strength 
had,  by  some  happy  chance,  sufficed  to  rescue 
their  city,  and  overthrow  the  unworthy  ni- 
vaders!  Their  conduct  to  Carthage  is  a 
black  and  lasting  stain  on  the  character  of  the; 
Romans.  ! 

The  Carthaginians  exerted  every  nerve  to 


SIEGE    OF    CARTHAGE.  181 

meet  the  foe  bravely.  Their  women  cut  off 
their  fine  long  hair  to  be  twisted  into  cords  for 
bows ;  they  brought  out  all  their  gold  and 
silver  vessels  to  be  converted  into  arms,  for 
these  were  the  only  metals  they  had  left. 
How  gladly  \yould  they  have  purchased  iron 
for  its  weight  in  gold ! 

The  Romans  were  astonished  at  the  re- 
sistance they  experienced :  many  times  were 
they  repulsed  from  the  walls,  and  many  were 
the  soldiers  slain  in  the  various  attacks.  In- 
deed, it  is  thought,  Carthage  would  never 
have  been  taken,  had  not  one  of  her  own 
officers  gone  over  to  the  enemy.  I  will  not 
stain  my  paper  with  the  name  of  the  base 
wretch  who  hetrayed  his  persecuted  country- 
men ;  but,  after  his  perfidy,  the  affairs  of  the 
Carthaginians  rapidly  declined. 

Scipio  Ji^milianus  cut  off  their  supplies  of 
food,  and  blocked  up  the  haven.  The  per- 
severing citizens  cut  out  a  new  passage  to  the 
sea.  He  next  attacked  and  cut  to  pieces  the 
army  they  had  stationed  without  the  walls, 
killing  seventy  thousand  men,  and  taking  ten 
thousand  prisoners.  After  this,  he  broke 
through  the  walls,  and  entered  the  city, 
pulling  or  burning  down  houses,  temples,  and 
public  buildings,  with  indiscriminate  fury. 
Asdrubal,  the  Carthaginian  general,  delivered 
himself  and  the  citadel  to  the  conquerors ;  but 
his  wife  and  children,  with  numbers  of  the 
citizens,  set  fire  to  the  temples,  and,  rushing 
16 


183        CARTHAGE    AND    CORINTH    DESTROYED. 

into  them,  perished  in  the  flames.  So  com- 
pletely was  this  once  beautiful  city  destroyed, 
that  the  place  on  which  it  stood  cannot  now 
be  discovered :  it  was  twenty-four  miles  in 
circuniferenccj  and  kept  burning  seventeen 
days.  All  the  cities  which  befriended  Car- 
thage shared  her  fate,  and  the  Romans  gave 
away  their  lands  to  their  friends. 

Thus  fell  Carthage  ;  and  with  her  fall  the 
third  Punic  war  was  concluded,  B.  C.  146. 
Corinth,  one  of  the  noblest  cities  of  Greece, 
v/as  destroyed  the  same  year,  by  Mammius, 
the  Roman  consul.  The  fate  of  Carthage  is 
a  warning  to  all  countries  that  love  freedom, 
not  to  make  undue  submissions.  Had  the 
Carthaginians  begun  with  fighting,  they 
would  most  probably  have  saved  their  city. 


CHAPTER   XXXIX. 

THE  GRACCHI.    JUGURTHA.    MARIUS.    CINNA. 

The  Romans  were  now  becoming  very 
powerful.  They  had  destroyed  Carthage,  in 
Africa,  and  Corinth,  in  Greece.  Macedonia 
was  under  their  rule.  The  Achseans  had  been 
defeated  by  the  consul  Metellus ;  and  Greece, 
under  the  name  of  Achaia,  was  reduced  into  a 
province  of  Rome.     Syracuse  had  been  taken, 


THE    GRACCHI.  183 

as  we  have  seen,  by  Marcellus ;  Antiochus, 
king  of  Syria,  had  been  compelled  to  make 
great  concessions  to  Rome  ;  and  the  Roman 
senate  had  extensive  influence  in  Egypt. 
They  had  gained  many  battles  over  the  rude 
inhabitants  of  Spain  ;  and  the  Gauls  had  more 
than  once  felt  their  power.  The  history  of 
Rome,  therefore,  at  this  period,  is  the  history 
of  the  world. 

The  Numan tines,  a  people  of  Spain,  over- 
came the  Romans  in  battle,  soon  after  the  ruin 
of  Carthage.  Three  or  four  years  after  this 
defeat,  Numantia,  the  finest  and  largest  city 
in  Spain,  was  taken  by  the  Romans ;  and  the 
inhabitants,  to  escape  falling  into  the  hands  of 
these  cruel  conquerors,  set  fire  to  their  city, 
and  suflJ'ered  themselves  to  perish  in  its  flames. 
Spain  thus  became  a  province  of  Rome. 
Bat,  whilst  Rome  was  successful  in  war,  her 
fame  was  in  danger  of  being  lost  by  dissen- 
sions at  home.  The  rich  lords  were  at  vari- 
ance with  the  dissatisfied  plebeians ;  and  the 
eldest  of  the  Gracchi,  Tiberius,  fomented  these 
quarrels. 

Cornelia,  the  daughter  of  Scipio  Africanus, 
the  conqueror  of  Hannibal,  was  left  a  widow 
with  two  sons.  It  is  of  this  Cornelia  that  a 
pretty  story  is  told.  A  lady  once  came  to 
visit  her,  who  boasted  much  of  her  jew^els ; 
and,  after  showing  them  to  Cornelia,  asked  to 
see  hers  in  return.  Cornelia  waited  till  her 
sons  came  in  from  school,  and  then,  presenting 


184  THE    GRACCHI. 

them    to    her   guest,   said,    '^Behold,   madam, 
these  are  my  jewels  !  " 

Tiberius,  her   elder   son,   wished   much    to 
benefit  the   poor,  and,  in  consequence,  made 
all  rich  men  his  enemies.     At  a  public  meet- 
ing, he  chanced  to  put  his  hand  to  his  head  ; 
and  those   who  wished  his  downfall,  immedi- 
ately said  he   wanted  a  crown  :  an  uproar  en- 
sued,  and    Tiberius   was    killed,   B.   C.    166. 
After    his    death,    the     populace    placed    nis 
younger  brother  at  theh   head.     Cams  Grac- 
chus was  only  twenty-one  at  this  time,  and 
had  lived  a  very  retired  hfe  ;  yet  he  performed 
many  useful  acts,  and  caused  many  excellent 
laws  to   be  passed.     He  was  temperate  and 
simple  in  his  food,  and  o£  an  active  and  indus- 
trious  disposition.     His  love    and  respect   tor 
his  mother  were  remarkable  ;  at  her  request,  hej 
withdrew    a   law    he    much    desired    to    have 
passed  ;  and  so  much  was  he  esteemed,  that  a 
statue  was  erected  to  the  memory  of  his  mother, 
with  this  inscription:   '' Cornelia,  the  mother 
of  the  Gracchi  "  —  a  tribute  honorable  to  both 
parent  and  children. 

Caius  lost  his  life  in  a  dispute  between  the 
people  and  the  senators  :  he  did  not  himself 
raise  up  his  arm  against  any  one,  but,  being  a 
warm  friend  of  the  people,  he  was  marked  out 
for  destruction.  He  had  reached  a  small 
grove,  when,  seeing  his  enemies  close  upor 
him,  he  prevailed  upon  a  faithful  servant  tc 
despatch  him.     This   honest  creature    woulc 


jugurtHa.  185 

not  survive  his  master,  but,  after  killing  him, 
destroyed  himself,  B.  C.  121. 

Cornelia  bore  these  misfortunes  with  digni- 
fied patience  :  she  loved  to  speak  of  her  father 
and  of  her  sons.  Her  virtuous  conduct  gave 
rise  to  this  admirable  remark  of  Plutarch : 
"  Fortune  may  often  defeat  the  purposes  of 
virtue ;  yet  virtue,  in  bearing  affliction,  can 
never  lose  her  prerogative." 

Pergamus,  a  valuable  city  in  Asia,  was 
now  brought  under  the  yoke  of  the  Romans. 
That  people  had  become  so  fond  of  wealth,  as 
well  as  power,  that  Jugurtha,  king  of  Nu- 
midia,  having  largely  bribed  them,  looked  upon 
Rome,  and  exclaimed,  '•'  O  Rome  !  how  readily 
Avouldst  thou  sell  thyself,  were  any  one  rich 
enough  to  buy  thee  !  " 

This  Jugurtha  was  grandson  of  Masinissa, 
the  Numidian  king  who  fought  against  Car- 
thage in  the  time  of  Hannibal.  He  was  se- 
verely treated  by  the  Romans,  who,  after  some 
dissensions,  and  on  slight  pretexts,  offered  him 
terms,  or  rather  sent  him  commands,  as  severe 
as  those  they  had  issued  to  the  ill-treated  Car- 
thaginians. He  gave  up  his  elephants  and 
arms ;  he  paid  a  large  tribute  ;  he  yielded  up 
his  prisoners  ;  but,  when  he  was  directed  to 
yield  himself  a  captive,  and  go  to  Rome  to  be 
tiled  as  a  common  malefactor,  he  resisted  ;  as 
who  would  not  have  done  ?  He  was  con- 
quered by  Marius,  carried  to  Rome,  and  com- 
pelled to  march  in  the  train  of  his  conqueror. 
16=^ 


186  MARIUS. 

After  having  thus  been  shown  in  triumph,  he 
was  put  into  prison,  and,  by  command  of  the 
senate,  starved  to  death,  B.  C.  106.  What 
think  you  of  the  Romans,  thus  repeatedly 
uniting  insult  to  cruelty  ? 

Caius  Marius,  the  conqueror  of  Jugurtha,  is 
worthy  of  some  notice  :  he  was  born  of  poor 
parents  ;  rude  in  manners,  tall,  strong,  and  in- 
trepid. Implicit  obedience,  the  first  duty  of 
a  soldier,  he  practised  to  such  perfection  as 
thereby  to  attract  notice  and  obtain  praise. 

He  gradually  rose  from  his  humble  station 
to  command  the  armies  of  Rome  ;  and  was,  at 
one  time,  as  much  her  protector,  as  at  another 
he  was  her  scourge.  The  same  various  for- 
tune attended  him  as  must  always  attend  those 
who  devote  themselves  wholly  to  military  ex- 
ploits. After  driving  away  the  foreign  enemies 
of  Rome,  and  sustaining  in  that  city  a  civil 
war  with  Sylla,  he  was  compelled  to  flee,  a 
wanderer  and  an  exile  :  lost  amidst  the  Min- 
turnasan  marshes,  he  had  leisure  to  reflect 
on  the  consequences  of  inordinate  ambition. 
Fearing  to  be  discovered,  he  passed  a  night  in 
some  marshy  land,  up  to  his  chin  in  the  moist 
earth  ;  but,  [ho  next  morning,  as  he  pursued 
his  solitary  flight,  he  was  discovered.  Dirty 
and  naked  as  he  was,  he  was  conducted,  with 
a  halter  round  his  neck,  to  a  neighboring 
prison.  A  Cimbrian  slave  was  sent  to  de- 
spatch him;  but  his  fierce  looks  and  savage 
appearance  so  terrified  the  poor  wretch  that  ho 


MARIUS. 


187 


dared  not  approach  him ;  and  the  governor  of 
the  place,  interpreting  the  slave's  fears  as  an 
omen  that  Marius  should  not  die,  restored  him 
to  liberty. 

He  then  fled  from  Italy,  and  at  last  was 
landed  in  Africa,  where  he  seated  himself 
amidst  the  ruins  of  Carthage  ;  hut,  being  or- 
dered to  quit  the  spot  by  the  prsetor,  a  man 
whom  he  had  essentially  served,  he  exclaimed 
against  the  ingratitude  of  mankind,  and  desired 
the  officer  to  inform  the  praetor,  that  he  had 
amidst    the    ruins    of 


seen 


"  Marius   sitting 
Carthage  !  " 


Cinna  had,  however,  so  ably  advocated  his 
cause  at  home,  that  Marius,  hastening  to  him, 
found  himself  once  more  the  general  of  a 
powerful  army.     Rome  was  now  torn  by  civil 


188 


MARIUS. 


discord ;  and  Sylla,  the  friend  of  the  patrician 
party,  was  in  Asia,  too  distant  to  be  easily  re- 
called. Cinna  and  Marius,  therefore,  entered 
the  city  in  triumph ;  and  both  being  restored 
to  their  rights,  Cinna  as  consul,  and  Marius  as 
citizen,  this  last  ferocious  monster,  heading 
a  troop  of  soldiers,  rushed  through  Rome, 
slaughtering  all  whom  he  feared  or  hated, 
without  pity  and  without  remorse. 

He  then  made  himself  consul ;  and,  sa- 
tiated with  blood  and  revenge,  died  two 
months  after,  aged  seventy,  during  his  seventh 
consulship.  His  death  is  thought  to  have 
been  caused  by  his  ambition  and  his  other  vi- 
olent passions,  which  produced  a  fever  that 
rapidly  hurried  him  to  the  grave,  B.  C.  86. 

Thus  he  seems  to  have  fallen  a  victim  to 
those  ungoverned  passions,  by  the  indulgence 
of  which  he  expected  to  acquire  glory  and 
renown. 

"Plato,"  says  Plutarch,  "at  the  point  of 
death,  congratulated  himself  that  he  was  born 
a  man,  and  not  a  woman  ;  that  he  was  born  a 
Greek,  and  not  a  barbarian  ;  and  that  he  was 
the  contemporary  of  Sophocles."  But  of  what 
could  Marius  boast  ?  Though  born  a  man,  he 
had  acted  with  the  ferocity  of  a  brute  ;  and 
though  he  had  raised  himself  from  obscurity, 
it  was  only  to  become  famous  for  crime.  Let 
no  one  desire  power  but  as  the  means  of  ben- 
efiting his  fellow-creatures  ;  it  is  better  not  to 
be  celebrated,  than  to  be  celebrated  for  vice. 


CINNA.       SYLLA.  W$ 

Cinna  perished  soon  after  Marius,  being  run 
through  the  body  whilst  attempting  to  quell  a 
mutiny  among  his  soldiers.  Cinna  was  of  a 
noble  family ;  but,  humoring  the  people,  in 
hopes  of  obtaining  power  and  popularity,  he 
began  his  career  by  opposing  Sylla,  and  died 
when  about  to  embark  some  forces  against 
him,  B.  C.  84. 

The  civil  war  in  Rome  between  Sylla  and 
Marius,  when  Sylla  made  himself  master  of 
the  city,  had  broken  out  B.  C.  88.    . 


CHAPTER   XL. 

SYLLA. 

Lucius  Cornelius  Sylla,  the  adversary  of 
Marius,  a  patrician  by  birth,  was  first  employed 
as  quaestor  to  Marius,  and  went  to  Africa  with 
that  general.  He  was  considered  a  good  sol- 
dier ;  but,  having  by  bribery  caused  himself 
to  be  elected  praetor,  he  once  angrily  said  to 
an  officer  who  had  provoked  him,  "  I  will  use 
my  authority  against  you  ;  "  the  officer,  laugh- 
ing, replied,  "  You  do  well  to  call  it  yours, 
for  you  bought  it." 

Sylla  had  just  vanquished  Mithridates,  king 
of  Pontus,  in  Asia,  and  was  returning  to  rescue 
Rome  from  the  tyranny  of  Marius,  when  that 


190  SYLLA. 

fierce  warrior  died.  These  two  Romans  first 
quarrelled,  just  before  a  terrible  war  which 
Rome  sustained  against  some  confederated 
states ;  both  fought  in  this  war  against  the 
common  enemy,  but,  when  peace  was  restored 
by  Sylla's  successful  arms,  his  hatred  and  envy 
of  Marius  burst  forth. 

In  a  violent  commotion  in  the  city,  in  which 
Pompey  (then  very  young)  had  nearly  lost  his 
life,  Sylla  was  so  provoked  that  Marius  should 
have  been  selected  to  conduct  the  Mithridatie 
war,  that  he  hastened  to  the  army,  and  insti- 
gated it  to  march  against  Rome.  The  citizens 
sent  an  embassy  to  appease  Sylla :  he  prom- 
ised to  grant  whatever  they  desired ;  but, 
when  the  ambassadors  were  gone,  he  pushed 
forward  his  troops,  entered  Rome,  and  with 
his  own  hands  assisted  to  set  it  on  fire : 
governed  only  by  revenge  and  anger,  he  ceased 
to  feel  common  humanity,  or  to  act  with  com- 
mon judgment.  It  was  then  he  procured  a 
sentence  of  death  to  be  pronounced  against 
Marius  and  some  others ;  and  Marius  saved 
his  Hfe  only  by  flight. 

Athens  was  besieged  and  taken  by  Sylla  ; 
and  so  much  human  blood  was  shed  by  his 
soldiers,  that  it  is  said  to  have  covered  the 
market  and  flowed  down  the  streets  in  a 
stream.  After  many  other  conquests,  he  re- 
turned to  Rome ;  and  horrible  was  the  conduct 
he  there  pursued.     He  collected  six  thousand 


STLLA.  191 

persons,*  who  were  inimical  to  his  interests, 
in  the  Circus,  and  had  them  all  butchered  by 
his  soldiers.  The  shrieks  of  these  poor  crea- 
tures being  heard  by  the  senators,  Sylla  in- 
formed them,  it  was  only  some  criminals 
suffering  merited  punishment,  whose  cries 
they  heard.  After  this  bloody  beginning,  not 
a  day  passed  unmarked  by  murders  ;  and  Syl- 
la's  horrible  proscription^  as  it  is  called,  is  not 
named  at  this  day  without  shuddering.  Not 
only  were  noble  parents  killed,  but  their  prop- 
erty was  confiscated,  and  their  children  were 
declared  infamous ;  husbands  were  massacred 
in  the  arms  of  their  wives,  and  sons  on  the 
bosoms  of  their  mothers  !  And  all  for  what  ? 
that  Lucius  Cornelius  Sylla  might  reign  with 
unlimited  power,  and  in  undisturbed  security. 

In  the  city  of  Prceneste,  twelve  thousand 
people  were  collected  and  cut  to  pieces.  But 
1  cannot  go  on  describing  such  enormities. 
How  was  Rome  fallen  from  her  virtue,  to  ad- 
mit of  their  perpetration  ! 

But  excessive  vice  leads  to  its  own  chastise- 
ment. Sylla  was  so  puffed  up  with  pride,  so 
devoted  to  the  pleasure  of  eating  and  drinking, 
and  to  every  folly  and  to  every  indulgence, 
that  his  body  began  to  suffer :  large  boils 
broke  out  in  every  part,  from  which  immense 
quantities  of  small  vermin  were  continually 
crawlmg. 

*  Plutarch. 


192  sin-LA. 

He  had  retired  from  public  life,  and  though 
he  had  caused  himself  to  be  chosen  perpetual 
dictator,  he  gave  up  an  office  he  could  no 
longer  enjoy,  and  retired  into  the  country ; 
there  his  sufferings  were  so  great  that  life  be- 
came a  burden  to  him.  One  day,  he  spoke  so 
loudly  and  violently,  in  giving  orders  for  the 
quffistor  Iranius  to  be  strangled,  that  he  broke 
an  abscess  in  his  inside,  and,  after  passing 
many  hours  in  the  most  excruciating  agonies, 
he  expired,  B.  C.  7S. 

Sylla"s  horrible  proscription  took  place  when 
he  was  appointed  perpetual  dictator,  B.  C.  82. 

Ten  years  after  this  proscription,  Lucullus 
completely  conquered  Mithridates  ;  and,  at  the 
death  of  that  monarch,  B.  C,  63,  Pont  as  be- 
came a  province  of  Rome.  During  this  period 
of  the  republic,  almost  every  year  was  marked 
by  some  important  conquest  by  the  Romans. 


CHAPTER    XLI. 

THE   FIRST  TRIUMVIRATE :    POxMPEY,  CRASSUS, 
CESAR. 

When  Sylla  died,  another  Roman  was  rising 
into  consequence  ;  this  was  Julius  Csesar,  of 
whom  you  have  doubtless  heard,  and  who 
made  his  first  essay  in  arms  during  the  dicta- 
torship of  Sylla. 


CATILINE.       CICERO. 


'm 


Rome  was  now  distracted  by  the  quarrels 
of  her  great  men.  Pompey  and  Crassus,  the 
two  consuls,  were  the  chiefs  of  the  opposing 
parties.  Caesar  prudently  avoided  attaching 
himself  to  either,  and,  by  reconciling  them  to 
each  other,  made  both  of  them  his  friends. 

Whilst  Pompey  was  making  conquests 
abroad,  Rome  had  nearly  fallen  into  the  power 
of  a  daring  conspirator. 

Sergius  Catiline,  a  patrician,  desired  to  raise 
himself  by  the  ruin  of  his  country,  and,  if 
possible,  to  seize  upon  the  liberty  of  Rome. 
He  was  of  a  worthless,  profligate  character, 
yet  aspired  to  the  consulship ;  and,  when  dis- 
appointed in  this  darling  wish,  by  the  consul- 
ate being  given  to  Cicero,  the  great  orator,  he 
resolved  by  some  other  means  to  obtain  power 
and  dominion. 

Catiline,  envying  and  hating  Cicero,  (how 
inseparable  are  envy  and  hatred  !)  resolved  to 
despatch  him,  as  a  first  step  towards  advance- 
ment. Two  knights  engaged  to  murder  Cice- 
ro ;  and,  that  crime  executed,  Cassius  was  to 
set  fire  to  the  city,  and  Cethegus  to  conduct 
the  massacre  of  the  people  ;  Catiline,  at  the 
head  of  foreign  forces,  was  then  to  make  him- 
self master  of  Rome. 

Marcus  TuUius  Cicero  was  an  orator  as 
much  renowned  for  his  eloquence  among  the 
Romans  as  Demosthenes  had  been  amongst  the 
Greeks.  The  first  time  he  spoke  in  public,  he 
was  in  his  twenty-seventh  year,  when  he  suc- 
17 


194  CICERO.        CATO. 

cessfully  pleaded  the  cause  of  Roscius,  the 
celebrated  comic  actor,  against  a  sanguinary 
decree  of  the  cruel  Sylla.  This  Cicero,  ever 
vigilant  and  active,  discovered  Catiline's  plot. 
Fulvia,  a  clever  female,  informed  him  of  some 
of  the  particulars ;  and,  by  the  help  of  her 
lover,  one  of  the  conspirators,  all  was  soon 
discovered. 

Catiline  fled ;  the  other  principal  conspira- 
tors were  seized  and  put  into  confinement. 
A  grand  debate  respecting  their  treatment  now 
took  place.  Caesar  earnestly  recommended 
merciful  measures ;  remarking  that  those  who 
advised  death  were  most  lenient,  since  death 
puts  an  end  to  all  human  suffering  ;  for  his 
part,  he  proposed  perpetual  imprisonment. 

Porcius  Cato,  another  celebrated  Roman, 
stern,  severe,  and  haughty,  warmly  and  forci- 
bly counselled  that  the  rebels  should  suffer 
death.  Cicero,  then  consul,  agreeing  in  this 
opinion,  the  confined  conspirators  were  imme- 
diately strangled.  It  has  been  well  said,  that 
''  Cicero  loved  his  country,  in  hopes  one  day 
to  govern  it ;  but  that  Cato  loved  it  more  than 
other  countries,  only  because  he  thought  it 
more  free." 

Catiline,  with  the  army  he  had  collected, 
was  attempting  to  pass  the  Apennines  into 
Gaul,  when  he  heard  of  the  execution  of  his 
friends.  The  Apennines,  you  know,  are  a 
chain  of  mountains  that  run  along  the  pen- 
insula of  Italy.     But  this   rash  man  was   so 


POMPEY.  195 

closely  pursued  by  the  Roman  army,  under 
Metellus,  that  he  was  compelled  to  come  to 
an  engagement.  The  battle  was  desperate 
and  bloody ;  Catiline  and  his  troops  were  cut 
to  pieces  ;  and  Rome  found  herself  once  more 
free  from  apprehensions  of  impending  danger. 

Cato  was  so  much  pleased  with  the  conduct 
of  Cicero,  and  with  the  manner  in  which  he 
discovered  the  conspiracy,  and  urged  the  pun- 
ishment of  the  conspirators,  that  he  called  him 
"  The  father  of  his  country  "  *  —  a  title  which 
the  people  confirmed  with  joy. 

Pompey  now  entered  Rome  in  triumph  for 
his  Asiatic  conquests,  and  was  soon  after 
chosen,  with  Ca3sar  and  Crassus,  to  form  the 
first  triumvirate,  B.  C.  60.  He  married  the 
daughter  of  Csesar ;  and  thus  these  great  men 
seemed  united  by  private  as  well  as  public 
bonds. 

Clodius,  a  young  patrician,  loved  Pompeia, 
the  wife  of  Caesar,  and  contrived  to  enter  her 
house  in  the  dress  of  a  female  musician.  Clo- 
dius was  soon  discovered  to  be  a  cheat,  and, 
of  course,  hunted  out  of  the  house,  despised, 
as  cheats  must  always  be.  When  is  not  arti- 
fice detected?  Surely  it  never  escapes  ex- 
posure. 

As  this  circumstance  was  much  talked  of, 
and  as  some  persons  said  that  Pompeia  must 
be    a  giddy,    imprudent   woman,  or  Clodius 

*  Plutarch. 


195  JULIUS   CJESAR. 

would  have  been  afraid  to  visit  her  in  a  dis- 
guised and  disgraceful  manner,  Caesar  divorced 
her.  When  he  was  asked  why  he  did  so,  he 
replied,  '^  The  wife  of  Caesar  ought  not  only 
to  he  virtuous,  but  to  appear  virtuous"  —  a 
speech  well  worth  observation,  and  pointing 
out  the  mischiefs  of  careless  and  flippant  be- 
havior. 

Csesar,  being  offended  with  Cicero,  and  per- 
haps dreading  his  great  abilities,  encouraged 
and  assisted  the  same  Clodius  in  procuring  his 
banishment.  Cicero  fled  to  Greece,  where  he 
remained  sixteen  months  in  exile,  admired 
and  honored  by  the  Greeks.  Pompey  after- 
wards procured  his  recall,  and  the  Romans 
welcomed  him  back  with  every  demonstration 
of  esteem  and  gladness.  Cicero  was  very  mi- 
happy  during  his  exile,  and  wrote  letters  to 
his  wife  Terentia  and  to  his  friends,  full  of 
repining  and  lamentation.  For  this  he  has 
been  much  censured,  because  such  excessive 
sorrow  is  deemed  unmanly  :  when  you  read 
his  celebrated  letters,  you  will  judge  for  your- 
selves whether  he  complains  unreasonably  and 
weakly. 

The  first  triumvirate  of  Pompey,  Crassus, 
and  Caesar,  took  place  B.  C.  60. 


BRITAIN.  197 

CHAPTER   XLII. 

BRITAIN.     JULIUS  C^SAR. 

CiESAR  was  a  great  and  successful  general ; 
he  repeatedly  conquered  the  Gauls,  and  also 
triumphed  over  the  Helvetii.  You  have  seen 
Switzerland,  a  mountainous  country,  inhabited 
by  a  free  people,  lying  between  France  and 
Italy.  The  ancient  name  of  Switzerland  was 
Helvetia,  and  it  is  even  now  often  so  desig- 
nated. The  Helvetii  were  as  remarkable  for 
their  courage  and  firmness  in  former  days,  as 
their  successors,  the  Swiss,  are  now  for  spirit, 
valor,  and  love  of  freedom.  Julius  Cassar  was 
much  pleased  with  the  bravery  of  the  Helve- 
tii, and  has  spoken  of  them  with  admiration 
in  his  Commentaries.  From  Helvetia  he 
passed  through  Gaul  and  part  of  Germany, 
conquering  as  he  went  along  :  when  he  ar- 
rived on  the  coast  of  Gaul,  the  distant  shores 
of  Albion  attracted  his  notice,  and  he  crossed 
the  narrow  strait,  now  called  the  Strait  of 
Dover.  This  is  the  first  time  that  England 
is  spoken  of  in  history.  It  was  known  long 
before,  and  called  Britain,  from  Brith,  a  title 
given  to  the  inhabitants,  because  they  painted 
their  bodies  of  a  blue  color,  and  biith  in  their 
language  signified  blue.  The  name  of  Albion 
arose  from  the  white,  chalky  cliffs,  which  ap= 
17^ 


198 


JULIUS    CJESAR. 


pear  on  the  coast  of  Kent,  the  coast  nearest  to 
the  continent,  and  easily  seen  from  Gaul,  or 
France. 


Cassar,  when  he  attempted  to  land,  found 
himself  attacked  by  the  rude  but  courageous 
natives ;  and  it  was  not  without  much  blood- 
shed that  he  gained  a  footing  in  the  country, 
and  subdued  a  part  of  the  island. 

Pray,  let  us  stop  a  little  here,  and  reflect 
upon  the  difference  of  Britain  theji  and  Britain 
now.  The  country,  little  if  at  all  cultivated ; 
low,  mud  cottages  thatched  with  straw  ;  the 
people  half  naked,  being  only  partially  clothed 
in  dresses  made  of  the  skins  of  beasts  ;  hunt- 
ing the  principal  occupation  ;  while  the  flesh 
of  animals  killed  in  the  chase  constituted  the 
food,  and  their  furs  the  clothing,  of  the  people. 


THE    BRITONS.  199 

Their  language,  customs,  and  religion,  you 
may  suppose,  were  nearly  similar  to  those  of 
their  nearest  neighbors,  the  Gauls ;  they  used 
to  fight  with  clubs  and  spears,  and  those  ter- 
rible machines,  chariots  with  scythes  fixed  on 
the  axles  of  the  wheels. 

The  Druids  were  their  priests,  who  direct- 
ed and  performed  their  religious  ceremonies. 
They  sacrificed  human  victims  to  their  gods  ; 
and  the  female  Druids  pretended  to  prophesy. 
Nothing  could  be  more  rude  and  savage  than 
these  islanders ;  and  we  must  visit  the  most 
uncivilized  Indian  tribes  that  reside  in  the 
wilds  of  America,  to  behold  any  thing  now-a- 
days  similar  to  our  forefathers. 

Cassibelaunus  commanded  the  Britons  at 
the  invasion  of  Cassar  ;  and,  after  fighting  as 
long  and  as  bravely  as  he  could,  he  submitted 
to  the  conqueror,  and  made  the  best  terms  in 
his  power  for  the  vanquished  islanders. 

From  this  time,  for  about  a  hundred  years, 
Britain  remained  in  quiet  subjection  to  the 
Romans,  who  were  well  pleased  to  possess  so 
distant  a  territory. 

Caesar  returned  to  Italy,  to  give  an  account 
of  his  conquests,  and  was  continued  in  his 
command  of  Gaul  and  the  northern  countries. 
Pompey  was  made  governor  of  Spain  ;  but  he 
ruled  it  by  his  lieutenants,  pretending  he  could 
not  leave  Rome ;  and  Crassus  was  appointed 
to  command  in  Syria.  In  B.  C.  53,  Crassus 
being  killed,  the  power  was  divided  between 


200  CRAssrrs. 

Pompey  and  Cassar.  You  will  soon  see  to 
what  consequences  the  ambition  of  these  great 
men  led,  and  by  what  steps  Rome,  which 
had  been  a  republic  from  the  expulsion  of 
Tarquin,  came  once  more  under  the  rule  of 
one  master. 

The  death  of  Crassus  must  be  recorded,  on 
account  of  the  gallant  conduct  of  his  son. 
Ah !  how  pleasing  it  is  to  speak  of  noble  and 
virtuous  deeds !  Crassus,  as  commander  in 
Syria,  had  obtained  many  advantages  ;  and  it 
has  been  thought  he  might  have  gained  yet 
more,  had  he  pursued  a  different  conduct  to 
that  which  he  adopted.  However  that  may 
be,  Cassar  sent  him,  from  Gaul,  a  reenforce- 
ment  of  a  thousand  men,  under  the  command 
of  his  son,  young  Crassus.  This  youthful 
warrior  greatly  distinguished  himself  in  a  war 
with  the  Parthians,  which  his  father  soon  af- 
ter undertook.  In  a  severe  conflict,  he  was 
repeatedly  wounded,  and  almost  all  the  sol- 
diers under  his  command  were  cut  to  pieces. 
Two  friends,  who  were  with  him,  besought 
him  to  flee  from  the  field  of  battle,  and  save 
his  life  ;  but,  after  bidding  them  take  care  of 
themselves,  he  nobly  exclaimed,  "that  no  fear 
of  death,  however  cruel,  could  induce  him  to 
abandon  so  many  brave  men,  who  had  died 
for  love  of  him."  *  He  then  persuaded  one  of 
his  domestics  to  stab  him. 

•  Rollin. 


THE    BATTLE    OF    PHARSALIA.  201 

When  the  Parthians  showed  Crassus  the 
head  of  his  gallant  son,  fixed  on  a  spear,  you 
may  imagine  his  affliction.  He  was  himself 
killed,  not  long  after,  in  an  engagement  with 
these  barbarians.  The  Parthians,  you  know, 
were  remarkable  for  shooting  their  arrow  dex- 
terously, even  when  fleeing  from  the  foe. 
Hence  arises  the  expression,  ^'  Like  Parthians, 
flying,  fight." 

Julius  Caesar  first  invaded  Britain  B.  C.  55. 


CHAPTER  XLHI. 

THE  BATTLE  OF  PHARSALIA. 

You  frequently  hear  the  expression,  ''I 
have  passed  the  Rubicon,  and  must  therefore 
go  on."  I  will  tell  you  in  what  circumstances 
it  was  originally  used ;  and  you  will  then  see 
it  can  only  be  properly  used  when  speaking 
of  the  performance  of  an  action  which  ought 
not  to  have  been  performed. 

Crassus  was  dead,  Caesar  was  in  Gaul,  Pom- 
pey  at  Rome.  Caesar  was  solicitous  to  obtain 
increased  power,  and,  if  possible,  to  reign 
alone  in  Rome ;  he  therefore  resigned  his 
power,  and  desired  that  Pompey  should  also 
cease  to  govern.  Some  disputes  arising  be- 
tween them,  Caesar  prepared  to  return  to  Ita- 


202  THE    BATTLE 

ly  with  his  armyj  to  secure  dominion  by  the 
sword.  Julia,  the  daughter  of  Caesar,  and 
wife  of  Pompey,  was  dead  :  while  she  lived, 
she  preserved  the  appearance,  at  least,  of  con- 
cord between  her  father  and  her  husband ; 
but  when  her  gentle  and  pacific  counsels 
ceased,  these  great  men  became  declared  an- 
tagonists. 

When  the  senate  heard  of  Csssar's  inten- 
tions,* they  issued  a  law,  that  any  general, 
who,  with  arms  in  his  hand,  passed  the  Rubi- 
con (a  river  that  divided  Gaul  from  Italy) 
without  their  leave,  should  be  declared  a  rebel 
and  a  traitor.  Nevertheless  Casar  spoke  so  el- 
oquently to  the  soldiers,  that  they  agreed  to 
follow  him  wherever  he  chose  to  lead.  He 
now  hastened  forward,  approached  the  borders 
of  Italy,  and,  at  daybreak  one  morning,  found 
himself  and  his  army  on  the  banks  of  the 
Rubicon. 

Here  he  paused,  and,  for  a  few  moments, 
seemed  overwhelmed  with  the  greatness  of 
his  enterprise,  and  the  dangers  that  attended 
it.  He  looked  upon  the  river  in  melancholy 
silence,  and  pondered  on  the  evils  which  his 
warlike  return  might  bring  upon  Rome ;  then, 
turning  to  one  of  his  generals,  he  said,  '■'  If  I 
pass  this  river,  how  many  evils  may  I  not 
cause  !  Yet,  if  I  do  not  pass  it,  I  am  un- 
done."   In  another  instant,  he  urged  his  horse 

*  Tytler. 


OF    PHARSALIA.  203 

into  the  stream,  calling  out, ''  The  die  is  cast ;  " 
meaning,  "I  have  passed  the  Rubicon  in  defi- 
ance of  the  law  ;  and,  having  done  the  worst, 
I  may  now  as  well  go  on."  PIis  troops  eager- 
ly followed  him,  and  he  pressed  on  towards 
Rome. 

That  city  was  in  the  utmost  consternation : 
Pompey,  aware  that  he  was  not  in  a  capacity 
to  resist  the  conqueror  of  Britain,  retreated  to 
Capua ;  and  Caesar,  having  first  entered  Rome 
in  triumph,  followed  him  thither. 

Pompey  next  retreated  to  Greece,  and,  last- 
ly, to  Pharsalia,  a  city  in  Macedonia,  where  a 
desperate  battle  was  fought  between  him  and 
Csesar.  Ceesar  was  victorious,  and  Pompey 
escaped  only  with   his  life. 

It  was  in  the  pursuit  of  Pompey  into  Greece 
that,  Caesar  being  on  board  a  small  vessel,  and 
a  violent  storm  arising,  the  boatman,  wearied 
with  struggling  against  the  winds  and  waves, 
threw  aside  the  oars,  and  would  have  com- 
mitted himself  to  the  elements.  Caesar,  dis- 
guised in  the  habit  of  a  slave,  and  solicitous 
to  join  his  army,  discovered  himself  at  this 
crisis  to  the  astonished  boatman,  and,  bidding 
him  row  on  boldly,  exclaimed,  "Fear  noth- 
ing, for  you  have  Caesar  and  his  fortunes  on 
board."  The  sailor,  encouraged  by  this  ad- 
dress, made  fresh  efforts;  and  Caesar  was  safe- 
ly landed,  amidst  his  rejoicing  soldiers. 

The  word  of  battle,  on  Pompey's  side,  was 
"  Hercules  the  Invincible  ;  "  that  on  Caesar's, . 


2(M  THE    BATTLE    OF    PHARSALIA. 

*'  Yenus  the  Victorious."  When  the  conqueror 
looked  upon  the  army  of  his  adversary,  com- 
posed of  his  countrymen,  lying  breathless  on 
the  well-fought  field,  he  cried  out,  in  a  tone 
of  regret,  "  They  would  have  it  so." 

Pompey  harried  from  his  camp,  (which  was 
so  richly  furnished  as  to  offer  a  splendid  booty 
to  the  conquerors,)  and,  without  making  any 
further  efforts  to  retrieve  his  fortunes,  hastened 
to  the  Island  of  Lesbos,  where  his  wife  Cor- 
nelia had  been  left. 

Severely  mournful  must  have  been  the 
meeting  of  this  pair.  Cornelia  fell  weeping 
into  his  arms,  and  Pompey,  in  silence,  em- 
braced her.  The  Lesbians  offered  the  suffer- 
ers a  refuge  in  their  island  ;  but  Pompey  ad- 
vised them  to  consult  their  own  safety,  and 
make  terms  with  the  conqueror,  generously 
adding,  "  Cassar  is  my  enemy,  but  I  bear  wit- 
ness to  his  mercy  and  humanity."  * 

After  sustaining  a  rebuff  from  the  people  of 
Rhodes,  the  fugitives  resolved  to  claim  protec- 
tion of  Ptolemy,  king  of  Egypt. 

Ptolemy  was  then  very  young;  but  his 
ministers  pursued  a  base  conduct  towards  the 
unfortunate  Pompey.  They  sent  out  a  boat 
to  receive  him  from  the  ship,  and  Cornelia, 
with  a  beating  heart,  beheld  her  husband  en- 
ter it.  She  watched  its  course  with  straining 
eyes,  and  with  a  piercing  shriek  testified  her 
view  of  his  bloody  death.  Just  before  the 
boat  reached  the  shore,  Pompey  rose  from  his 


MARCUS    BRUTUS. 


urn 


seat,  and,  leaning  upon  the  arm  of  his  ser- 
vant, was  about  to  quit  it,  when  he  was  stabbed 
in  the  back.  The  moment  he  felt  himself 
wounded,  he  knew  his  death  was  unavoidable  ; 
so,  wrapping  up  his  head  in  his  robe,  without 
a  word  of  reproach,  or  a  groan  of  suffering,  he 
yielded  himself  to  his  fate. 

His  head  was  cut  off,  and  his  body  thrown 
on  the  strand,  where  it  was  burnt  on  a  pile  by 
his  faithful  freedman  Philip.  Afterwards,  the 
following  inscription  was  placed  over  the  spot : 
—  "He  whose  merits  deserve  a  temple,  can 
scarcely  find  a  tomb." 

Cornelia  was  saved,  and  lived  to  bury  the 
ashes  of  her  husband  upon  her  own  estate  in 
Italy.  Pompey  was  just  fifty-nine  years  old, 
being  killed  on  his  birthday. 

The  battle  of  Pharsalia,  which  left  Caesar 
without  a  competitor,  was  fought  B.  C.  48. 


CHAPTER   XLIV. 

CATO   DESTROYS  HIMSELF  AT  UTICA. 

Marcus  Brutus  was  a  descendant  of  that 
renowned  Junius  Brutus,  who  sacrificed  his 
sons  to  justice  and  the  cause  of  liberty.  Mar- 
cus Brutus  loved  freedom  as  dearly  as  his 
great  ancestor  did  ;  and  he  was  therefore 
18 


206 


CATO. 


called  "the  last  of  th6  Romans,"  as  Phocion 
had  been  called  "  the  last  of  the  Greeks." 
After  the  death  of  these  eminent  men,  Rome 
and  Greece  ceased  to  be  free  republics, 

Phocion  was  poisoned  by  the  Athenians, 
just  when  Philip  and  Alexander  were  redu- 
cing Greece  under  their  power  ;  and  after  the 
death  of  Brutus,  you  will  see  that  Rome  be- 
came subjected  to  a  master. 

Brutus,  when  very  young,  served  as  an  offi- 
cer under  Cato,  When  Caesar  and  Pompey  be- 
gan to  strive  for  power,  though  Pompey  had 
injured  Brutus  by  causing  the  death  of  his 
father,  yet  did  Brutus  silence  his  wounded 
feelings ;  and,  considering  Caesar  as  the  great- 
er enemy  to  the  freedom  of  Rome,  he  joined 
the  party  of  Pompey. 

After  the  battle  of  Pharsalia,  and  the  death 
of  Pompey,  Brutus  was  received  by  Caesar, 
and  always  treated  by  him  with  kindness  and 
confidence.  Cassius  was  another  Roman,  be- 
friended by  Caesar ;  of  Cato,  the  steady  and 
inflexible  friend  of  liberty,  you  have  already 
heard. 

When  Cato  was  once  offered  a  choice  of 
military  appointments,  he  declined  them  all, 
saying,  "  I  have  yet  done  nothing  to  deserve 
such  honors ;  "  and  when  one  of  his  friends 
said  to  him,  "Cato,  the  world  finds  fault  with 
your  silence,"  he  replied,  "  No  matter,  as  long 
as  it  does  not  find  fault  with  my  life.  I  will 
speak   when   I   can   speak   worthily."     Cato 


CATO.  207 

thought  that  his  countrymen  were  too  luxuri- 
ous in  their  manners,  and  too  loose  in  their 
morals ;  he  resolved  not  to  yield  to  the  fash- 
ion, but  rather  to  set  the  example  of  modera- 
tion and  simplicity.  He  dressed  plainly,  and 
ate  abstemiously ;  and  was  so  strict  an  observ- 
er of  truth,  that  it  was  common  in  the  city  to 
say,  ''  It  must  be  true,  for  Cato  said  it ; "  or, 
*'I  would  not  believe  it,  unless  Cato  said  it." 

No  virtue  bestows  so  much  honor  as  truth, 
and  no  virtue  can  be  so  easily  practised.  Who 
could  not  speak  truth  precisely?  Then  why 
is  it  not  always  spoken  ? 

Cato  attended  Pompey,  when  he  retired  to 
Greece  before  the  army  of  the  victorious  Cae- 
sar ;  and  he  followed  the  defeated  Pompey  to 
Egypt,  carrying  with  him  a  gallant  band,  who 
had  made  him  their  commander.  Informed 
of  the  death  of  Pompey,  he  fixed  himself  in 
Utica,  a  town  in  Africa,  not  far  from  the  site 
of  Carthage,  and  there  awaited  the  approach 
of  Caesar.  In  vain  his  friends  urged  him.  to 
remove  farther  from  danger ;  he  heard  theii 
request  unmoved,  and  in  silence  saw  them  de- 
part. He  seemed  to  consider  the  liberty  of 
Rome  as  extinct,  and  desired  not  to  survive  it. 

In  those  luxurious  days,  the  Romans  used 
to  lie  on  couches  around  tables  to  eat  their 
meals  ;  but  Cato,  after  the  battle  of  Pharsalia, 
never  laid  himself  down  but  to  sleep.  How- 
ever, when  he  heard  that  Ceesar  was  on  the 
way  to  Utica,  he  invited  a  large  party  to  sup- 


208  CATO. 

per ;  and,  though  he  still  persisted  to  sit,  and 

not  lie  at  the  table,  he  conversed  freely  and 
cheerfully  with  his  guests.  When  they  left 
him,  he  retired  to  his  chamber,  embraciug  his 
son  with  more  than  usual  tenderness.  He 
then  lay  down,  and  began  to  read  ;  but,  ob- 
serving that  his  sword  was  not  hanging  in  its 
usual  place,  he  called  to  his  servants,  and  de- 
sired them  to  bring  it  to  him. 

His  son,  fearing,  from  his  looks  and  con- 
duct, that  he  meant  to  destroy  himself,  had 
taken  away  his  sword  ;  and  he  now  hastened 
to  his  father,  to  beseech  him  to  be  composed, 
and  not  insist  upon  having  his  sword.  Cato 
sternly  replied,  that  he  could  do  without  the 
sword,  since  there  were  other  ways  of  dying. 
The  young  man  retired  in  an  agony  of  grief; 
and,  soon  afterwards,  a  little  child  took  in  the 
sword.  Cato  drew  it  from  the  sheath,  and, 
seeing  that  the  edge  was  bright  and  sbarp, 
"Now,"  said  he,  "  I  am  master  of  myself." 

I  hope  you  do  not  fail  to  observe  the  crimes 
into  which  a  false  religion  leads  its  followers. 
The  heathens  thought  self-murder  the  noblest 
virtue ;  Christians  know  it  to  be  the  most 
heinous  crime.  Our  lives  were  given  us  to 
perform  various  duties  and  services  towards 
God  and  our  fellow-creatures  ;  and  no  one  but 
a  cow^ard  would  shrink  from  life  because  he 
may  be  afflicted.  I  think  the  highest  courage 
is,  bravely  to  encounter  misfortune,  with  spirit 
to  struggle,  or  with  patience  to  endure.        _^ 


JULIUS     CJESAR-  209 

Towards  the  dawn  of  morning,  a  noise  be- 
ing heard  in  Cato's  chamber,  his  son  rushed 
in,  and  found  his  fears  verified :  his  father 
had  stabbed  himself,  and  was  weltering  in 
blood.  The  wound  was  bound  up,  but  Cato 
tore  away  the  bandage,  and  shortly  after  ex- 
pired. 

Cagsar  was  sorry  to  hear  of  the  death  of  his 
adversary,  and  exclaimed,  "Cato,  I  envy  thee 
thy  death,  since  thou  couldst  envy  me  the 
glory  of  saving  thy  life." 

Porcia,  the  daughter  of  Cato,  was  married 
to  Brutus,  and  was  worthy  of  such  a  parent 
and  such  a  husband. 

Cato  destroyed  himself  B.  C.  46. 


CHAPTER    XLV. 

JULIUS  C^SAR. 

You  must  not  consider  Juhus  Caesar  as 
merely  a  conquering  general ;  for  it  is  said  he 
was  so  eminent  an  orator,  that  Cicero  alone 
was  superior  to  him.  He  wrote  the  history 
of  his  own  battles,  called  Ccesar^s  Commenta- 
ries ;  and  the  reform  he  made  in  the  calendar 
proves  his  attention  to  science.  From  a  false 
computation  of  time,  there  was  an  error  of 
three  months  in  the  calendar ;  Cassar  took 
18* 


2119  JULIUS    C^SAR. 

great  pains  to  set  this  mistake  to  rights,  and 
happily  succeeded.  Formerly,  they  reckoned 
by  the  course  of  the  moon ;  thence  the  year 
was  called  the  lunar  year.  Now,  we  reckon 
by  the  course  of  the  earth  round  the  sun  ;  and 
hence  it  is  called  the  solar  year.  Any  body 
will  explain  this  to  you  :  for  conversation  will 
do  it  better  than  reading.  The  first  of  these 
corrected  years,  called  the  Julian  year^  com- 
menced B.  C.  45. 

Before  the  death  of  Cato,  Caesar  went  to 
Egypt,  in  pursuit  of  Pompey  ;  and  there  he 
beheld  Cleopatra.  She  was  the  sister  and 
wife  of  Ptolemy,  and  gained  admission  to  the 
presence  of  Caesar  by  a  curious  stratagem. 
She  rolled  herself  up  in  a  carpet,  and  was  car- 
ried into  the  palace,  tied  up  like  a  bale  of 
goods.  When  Caesar  beheld  her,  he  was  so 
struck  with  her  beauty,  and  charmed  with 
her  conversation,  that  he  soon  contrived  she 
should  be  sole  sovereign. 

Ptolemy  suddenly  disappeared:  it  was 
thought  his  sister  had  been  the  means  of  his 
death ;  and,  Cleopatra  thus  established  in 
Egypt,  Caesar  left  her,  in  pursuit  of  his  miUta- 
ry  duties.  He  gained  a  battle  in  Asia  with 
so  much  ease,  that,  writing  an  account  of  his 
success  to  his  friends,  he  said,  "Fern,  Vidi^ 
Vici,^^  —  "I  came,  I  saw,  I  conquered." 

Before  he  left  Utica,  he  gave  orders  that  the 
cities  of  Corinth  and  Carthage  should  be  re- 
built.     These  two  places   were  destroyed  at 


JULIUS    CiESAR.  211 

the  same  time,  and  at  the  same  time  re- 
stored. 

On  his  return  to  Rome,  he  had  a  splendid 
triumph,  and  was  elected  consul  for  the  fourth 
time.  The  sons  of  Pompey  endeavored  to  at- 
tack him  with  an  army  collected  in  Spain. 
Caesar  had  nearly  lost  the  day  ;  but,  rallying 
his  troops,  with  this  reproach,  "Are  you  not 
ashamed  to  deliver  your  general  into  the 
hands  of  boys?  "  he  brought  them  back  to  the 
charge,  and  gained  the  victory.  He  told  his 
friends,  as  he  retired  from  the  field  of  battle, 
"I  have  often  fought  for  victory,  but  never 
before  to-day  for  life."  This  was  the  last  of 
his  wars. 

Caesar  was  now  in  great  power.  Although 
some  of  the  Romans  regretted  to  see  him  a 
conqueror  over  his  own  countrymen,  over  the 
gallant  sons  of  the  brave  and  unfortunate 
Pompey,  yet  they  created  him  dictator  for 
life. 

Cicero  recommended  that  he  should  receive 
every  deserved  honor  ;  but  others  flattered  and 
praised  him  beyond  all  reason.  He  directed 
that  the  statues  of  Pompey,  which  had  been 
thrown  down,  should  be  restored  ;  and  of  this 
act  Cicero  well  said,  that  "Caesar,  by  rearing 
Pompey's  statues,  raised  his  own." 

I  need  not  explain  the  meaning  of  this 
speech  ;  you  will  feel  the  generosity  of  thus 
doing  honor  to  the  memory  of  a  rival. 


212  DEATH    OF    JULIUS    C^SAR. 

Eminence  of  station  cannot  be  possess3d 
without  raising  envy  and  causing  enmity. 

CsBsar  had  many  enemies ;  his  friends  be- 
sought him  to  be  watchful  for  his  safety,  and 
even  offered  to  be  his  guards ;  but  he  would 
not  listen  to  their  wishes  ;  "  for,"  said  he,  ''  it 
is  better  to  die  once,  than  always  live  in  fear." 

Mark  Antony,  a  great  admirer  of  Caesar, 
one  day,  in  the  public  forum,  offered  him  a 
diadem  decked  with  laurels:  when  he  did 
this,  only  a  few  of  the  people  feebly  applaud- 
ed ;  but  when  Caesar  refused  it,  the  shouts 
were  loud  and  universal. 

Perhaps  Caesar  had  this  done  to  try  the 
disposition  of  the  populace ;  and,  finding  it 
adverse  to  his  being  king,  he  ever  afterwards 
resolutely  refused  a  crown.  But  the  plot 
which  had  been  formed  was  now  ripe  for  ex- 
ecution ;  and  on  the  ides  *  of  March  it  was 
executed.  The  senate  had  assembled  in  a 
place  where  Pompey's  statue  stood ;  and 
Caesar,  joining  them  there,  was  attacked  by 
the  conspirators.  Casca  gave  the  first  blow, 
and  then  Cassius  and  the  other  conspirators 
rushed  upon  him;  he  had  only  a  moment  to 
start  up  and  look  upon  the  numerous  shining 
swords  gleaming  about  him,  when,  Brutus 
giving  him  a  wound,  he  exclaimed.  ^'-  Et  tii, 
Brute  !  "  '*  And  thou,  Brutus !  "  and,  covering 
his  face  with  his  robe,  he  fell  dead  at  the  foot 

•  The  lath  of  March. 


SECOND    TRIUMVIRATE.  21^ 

of  Pompey's  statue,  gashed  with  three-and- 
twenty  wounds. 

The  conspirators  were  obliged  to  seek 
safety  by  flight ;  and  not  one  of  the  many 
who  wounded  him  died  a  natural  death. 
Assuredly,  some  of  them  (Brutus,  for  in- 
stance) killed  him  from  a  love  of  their 
country,  and  a  desire  of  procuring  her  free- 
dom ;  others  were  actuated  by  baser  motives; 
but  all  were  culpable.  Julius  Caesar  was 
murdered  B.  C.  44. 


CHAPTER   XL VI. 

THE  SECOND  TRIUMVIRATE.    DEATH  OF  CICERO. 

When  Julius  Caesar  was  dead,  Octavius,  his 
nephew*  and  heir,  hastened  to  Rome,  and, 
taking  the  name  of  Caesar,  sought  to  gain  the 
love  of  the  people.  Mark  Antony  was  then 
consul,  and  wished  to  unite  a  party  against 
the  conspirators ;  but  Cicero  was  for  general 
peace.  Antony  at  first  opposed  young  Octa- 
vius ;  but,  finding  he  was  much  approved  of 
by  the  people,  he  afterwards  consented  to  be 
united  with  him  in  the  government.  Thus 
the  second  triumvirate  was  formed  of  Octa- 
vius, Mark  Antony,  and  Lepidus,  B.  C.  43. 

*  Plutarch. 


214  SECOND    TRIUMVIRATE. 

Before  this  union  took  place,  each  of  the 
triumviri  consented  (to  his  shame  !)  to  sacri- 
fice his  best  friend,  to  humor  the  wishes  of 
the  others.  Antony  gave  up  his  uncle  ;  Lep- 
idus,  his  brother ;  Octavius,  his  friend,  the 
eloquent  Cicero. 

A  general  proscription  followed,  which,  like 
the  proscriptions  of  Marius  and  Sylla,  was 
most  direful.  Three  hundred  senators  and 
three  thousand  knights  were  butchered  in  cold 
blood,  to  gratify  the  private  feelings  of  the 
triumvirate. 

Cicero  had  not  entered  into  the  conspiracy, 
but  he  was  hated  by  Antony  ;  and,  to  glut 
this  hatred,  he  died.  Do  you  think  Octavius 
can  be  excused  for  purchasing  dominion  by 
the  muiider  of  a  dear  and  kind  friend  ?  Does 
not  the  motive  aggravate  the  crime  ?  Could 
any  motive  justify  it  ?     What  think  you  ? 

Cicero,  aware  of  Antony's  mean  jealousy, 
determined  to  spend  the  summer  in  Athens  ; 
but  he  returned  to  Italy  on  hearmg  that  Anto- 
ny's feelings  towards  him  were  much  changed. 
He  exerted  him§elf  earnestly  for  the  interest 
of  Octavius,  who,  on  his  part,  called  him 
"father." 

He  was  at  his  villa  called  Tusculum  when 
he  heard  of  the  bloody  proscription ;  and  im- 
mediately resolved  to  put  himself  under  the 
protection  of  Brutus,  who  was  in  Macedonia. 
His  brother  Quintus  and  himself  set  off  on 
this  melancholy  journey.     They  were   each 


CICERO,  215 

carried  in  a  litter ;  and,  having  little  money  to 
take  with  them,  and  being  thus  driven  from 
their  native  land  by  the  base  ingratitude  of 
one  they  had  loved  and  served,  they  were 
both  extremely  dejected.  When  on  their 
journey,  Q^uintus  determined  to  return  to  his 
house  to  obtain  more  property  ;  but  he  was 
seized  on  the  road,  and  assassinated  by  the 
ruffians  sent  for  that  purpose. 

Living,  as  we  do,  under  a  government  in 
which  no  man's  life  can  be  sacrificed  but  for 
great  crimes,  and  after  a  long  and.  impartial 
trial,  we  find  it  difficult  to  believe  this  shame- 
less system  of  murder  and  devastation,  prac- 
tised by  the  refined  and  learned  Romans. 
The  only  way  to  explain  how  such  things 
could  happen  is,  to  consider  the  difference  of 
their  religion  and  ours ;  they,  believing  in  a 
multitude  of  gods  and  goddesses,  each  of 
whom  they  fancied  to  be  possessed  of  human 
follies  and  human  vices,  were  led  by  the  wor- 
ship of  these  guilt-stained  idols  to  the  imitation 
of  their  supposed  attributes. 

We  believe  in  One  God,  the  God  of  mercy 
and  of  love. 

The  servants  of  Cicero  put  him  into  a  small 
vessel ;  but,  attentive  to  a  flight  of  birds, 
which  he  and  they  deemed  a  bad  omen,  he 
returned  to  shore  ;  nor  was  he  the  first  man, 
by  many  thousands,  who  lost  his  life  in  fol- 
lowing the  dictates  of  superstition.  The  ser- 
vants persuaded  him  to   reenter  the  vessel  j 


216  DEATH    OF    CICERO. 

and  had  put  him  into  his  litter  to  bear  him  to 
itj  when  the  assassins  arrived.  Cicero,  be- 
holding them,  ordered  his  servants  to  set 
down  the  litter,  and,  putting  his  hand  to  his 
chin,  as  he  was  accustomed  to  do,  looked  his 
murderers  steadily  in  the  face.  His  wasted 
form  and  mournful  countenance  touched  the 
hearts  of  his  attendants  ;  but,  Cicero  stretching 
out  his  neck  for  the  blow,  the  principal  officer 
cut  off  his  head  at  a  stroke.  His  hands  were 
also  cut  off;  and,  by  the  order  of  Antony, 
hung  up  with  his  head  in  the  rostrum,  the 
very  place  where  Cicero  had  often  eloquently 
pleaded.  The  people  truly  remarked,  "  that 
the  spectacle  did  not  so  much  expose  Cicero's 
head  as  Antony's  heart." 

Cicero  was  murdered  in  the  first  year  of  the 
second  triumvirate,  B.  C.  43. 


CHAPTER   XLYH. 

THE  BATTLE  OF  PHILIPPI.  DEATH  OF  BRUTUS. 

Brutus  anxiously  desired  that  his  country 
should  be  free,  and  not  under  the  tyranny  of 
any  one  man  or  any  body  of  men  :  in  this 
cause  he  had  lifted  his  dagger  against  Cassar ; 
and  in  this  cause  he  now  joined  with  Cassius 


BATTLE    OF    PHILIPPI. 


217 


to  raise  an  army  in  Greece  against  the  trium- 
virate. 

Octavius  and  Antony  marched  against  the 
conspirators;  and  at  Pliilippi,  a  tov/n  of 
Macedon,  built  in  honor  of  Philip,  Antony 
gained  a  complete  victory.  Octavius,  then 
very  young,  and  never  very  celebrated  as  a 
general,  did  not  assist  in  obtaining  it,  and 
deeply  tarnished  it  by  his  conduct  after  it  was 
obtained. 

Cassius  had  made  every  effort  in  his  power 
to  meet  the  triumvirs  ;  yet,  lamenting  that  it 
was  against  his  countrymen  he  was  going  to 
fight,  he  exclaimed  to  a  friend,  ''  Bear  wit- 
ness, Messala,  that,  like  Pompey  the  Great,  I 
am  compelled  to  risk  the  liberty  of  my  coun- 
try on  the  chance  of  a  battle." 

Brutus  fancied,  one  night,  that  he  saw  a 
spirit,  in  the  form  of  a  tall  man,  enter  his  tent, 
and  stand  by  his  side.  "  Who  art  thou  ? " 
said  Brutus,  "  and  what  is  thy  business  with 
me?"  The  spirit  replied,  "I  am  thy  evil 
genius,  Brutus ;  thou  shalt  see  me  at  Philippi." 
—  "I  will  meet  thee  there,"  answered  the 
undaunted  general.  This  was  supposed  to 
have  happened  when  Brutus  was  in  Asia :  in 
those  days,  it  was  believed  that  a  spectre  had 
appeared,  and  that  its  coming  portended  ca- 
lamity. But  if  you  reflect  a  little,  you  will 
be  disposed  to  think  no  such  spirit  was  either 
then  or  at  any  time  beheld. 

Brutus  was  alone  in  his  tent^  very  late  m 
19 


218 


BATTLE    OF    PHILIPPI. 


the  evening,  his  mind  full  of  the  expected 
battle,  and  his  body  wearied  with  his  milita- 
ry duties ;  so  fatigued,  nothing  could  be  more 
likely  than  that  he  should  doze  ;  and,  so  think- 
ing, nothing  could  be  more  natural  than  that, 
in  his  short  and  broken  slumbers,  his  dreams 
should  be  the  copy  of  his  waking  thoughts. 
Do  you  not  often  dream  of  what  has  happened, 
or  what  is  expected  to  happen  ?  Even  so,  I 
suppose,  did  the  Roman  general. 


Brutus  commanded  his  troops  like  a  skilful 
officer,  and  fought  like  a  brave  man,  at  the 
battle  of  Philippi.  Every  thing  gave  way 
before  his  skill  and  valor ;  he  reached  the 
camp  of  Octavius  Caesar,  and  destroyed  it ; 
and  was  considering  him.self  the  conqueror, 
when  he  found  that  his  friend  and  coadjutor, 
Cassius,  with  his  division,  had  been  defeated. 
This  defeat  arose  from  some  mistake  that  had 


DEATH    OF    CASSIUS    AND    BRUTUS.  219 

ccurred  ;  and  Cassius  was  so  distracted  at  his 
lisfortune,  that,  without  waiting  for  the  ar- 
val  of  succors  from  Brutus,  he  retired  from 
is  officers  into  an  empty  tent,  and  commanded 
is  freedman  to  cut  off  his  head.  Tiiis  order 
^as  obeyed  ;  and  when  Brutus  arrived  at  the 
amp,  he  found  only  the  breathless  body  of 
■is  friend.  Brutus  again  collected  the  remains 
f  his  army,  and  shortly  afterwards  gave  bat- 
e  to  Antony  ;  but,  though  he  did  all  that 
/isdom  and  courage  could  do,  he  was  de- 
Bated.  Antony  desired  to  save  his  life  ;  but 
Jrutus,  after  having  escaped  from  the  bloody 
eld,  disdained  to  live  when  his  country  was 
nslaved. 

He  first,  however,  assured  himself^  that 
very  possibility  of  success  had  vanished ; 
.nd  then,  but  not  before,  he  resolved  to  die. 
lis  attendants  were  very  unwilling  to  obey 
lim,  when  he  directed  them  to  stab  him : 
me  of  them  informing  him  that  the  foe  were 
idvancing,  and  that  therefore  they  must  flee, 
'Yes,"  said  Brutus,  rising  hastily,  "we  must 
lee ;  yet  not  with  our  feet,  but  with  our 
lands."  He  then  retired  with  a  few  friends, 
me  of  whom,  Strato,  held  a  sword,  on  which 
3rutus  threw  himself  with  so  much  violence, 
hat  it  passed  quite  through  his  body,  and  he 
nstantly  expired. 

Brutus  died  shortly  after  the  battle  of  Phi- 
ippi,  B.  0.  42. 


220  MARK    ANTONY. 


CHAPTER   XLYIII. 

ANTONY  AND  CLEOPATRA.     BIRTH   OF  JESUS 
CHRIST. 

About  42  years  before  Christ,  (the  time 
that  the  battle  of  Phihppi  was  fought,)  Herod 
married  the  sister  of  Aristobulus,  king  of  Ju- 
dsea,  and  visited  Rome  to  procure  the  crown 
to  be  confirmed  to  his  brother-in-law ;  but, 
instead  of  that,  Antony  managed  to  make 
Herod  himself  king  of  Judaea,  and  he  re- 
turned to  Jerusalem,  and  acknowledged  Ma- 
riamne  for  his  wife.  It  was  this  Herod  who 
ordered  the  murd^er  of  the  Innocents,  of  which 
we  read  in  the  Bible. 

Antony,  after  the  death  of  Brutus,  carried 
over  an  army  to  Cilicia,  a  province  of  Asia 
Minor,  and  desired  Cleopatra  to  meet  him 
there,  to  answer  some  accusations  brought 
against  her  for  having  assisted  Cassius. 

Cleopatra,  though  no  longer  young,  was  still 
a  very  beautiful  woman ;  and  you  have  all 
heard  of  the  bewitching  style  in  which  she 
sailed  up  the  Cydnus,  to  meet  Antony  at  Tar- 
sus. Her  magnificent  galley,  richly  gilt,  was 
furnished  with  sails  of  purple  silk  and  oars 
of  silver.  On  the  deck  lay  the  queen,  ap- 
pareled as  Venus,  under  a  splendid  canopy, 
with  little  boys,  dressed  as  Cupids,  fanning 


ANTONY     AND     CLEOPATRA. 


231 


her.  Her  maidens,  habited  as  Graces  and  Sea 
Nymphs,  were  the  mariners  of  this  hght  and 
elegant  vessel ;  and  incense  was  burning  on 
the  shores  to  perfume  the  air.  The  music 
of  various  instruments  breathed  melodious 
sounds  ;  and  all  around  was  beauty  and  fasci- 
nation. The  crowds  from  the  town  hastening 
to  behold  this  fine  sight,  Antony  was  left  al- 
most alone  in  the  public  hall.  When  he 
visited  Cleopatra,  he  was  quite  captivated 
with  her  beauty  and  accomplishments ;  and 
forgot  that  he  had  a  wife,  Fulvia,  at  Rome. 

Fulvia,  an  ambitious  and  cruel  woman, 
exerted  herself  to  break  the  friendship  which 
appeared  to  exist  between  her  husband  and 
Octavius  ;  but  she  died  before  her  plans  were 
matured  ;  and  Antony  made  his  peace  with 
19* 


222  ANTONY    AND    CLEOPATRA 

Octavius  by  marrying  his  sister,  the  virtuous 
Octavia. 

After  his  second  marriage,  Antony  returned 
to  Cleopatra ;  which  so  provoked  Octavius, 
that  he  went  over  to  Egypt  with  a  large  army 
to  punish  the  faithless  husband. 

Lepidus,  for  his  imprudent  conduct,  had 
been  some  time  banished ;  and  the  crafty  Oc- 
tavius plainly  saw  that,  if  he  could  set  aside 
Antony,  Rome  would  be  all  his  own.  Antony 
had  been  a  great  general ;  but  his  weak  love 
for  the  Egyptian  queen,  and  his  indulgence  in 
luxurious  living,  seem  to  have  enervated  both 
his  mind  and  body.  He  met  his  adversary 
art  Actium,  B.  C.  31,  and,  in  the  midst  of  a 
desperate  engagement  at  sea,  Cleopatra  fled  in 
her  galley,  and  Antony  was  so  lost  to  glory  as 
to  follow  her,  and  thus  to  give  up  every  chance 
of  victory. 

After  this,  you  will  not  be  surprised  to  hear 
that  Octavius  was  his  conqueror.  The  fatal 
battle  of  Actium  is  considered  as  the  end  of 
the  Roman  republic  ;  for  Octavius  Caesar  was 
now  sole  master  of  Rome. 

Antony,  hearing  that  Cleopatra  was  dead, 
stabbed  himself,  that  so,  either  in  life  or  death, 
he  might  share  her  fate  j  but,  finding  the  ac- 
count was  false,  and  that  she  had  only  shut 
herself  up  in  a  monument,  he  desired  to  be 
can'ied  to  her.  As  all  the  entrances  were 
fastened,  Cleopatra  and  her  women  drew  up 
the  dying  lover  by  one  of  the  windows,  and 


ANTONY    AND     CLEOPATRA. 


223 


Antony  died  in  the  presence  of  his  too  much 
loved  Egyptian  queen.  She,  also,  fearing  to 
be  taken  prisoner  by  Octavius,  and  carried  in 
triumph  to  Rome,  put  an  end  to  her  own  life. 

She  had  previously  tried  the  effect  of  many 
poisons  on  criminals  condemned  to  die,  and 
found  that  the  bite  of  an  asp  (a  small  venomous 
serpent)  caused  the  most  easy  and  quickest 
death.  She  therefore  procured  a  peasant  to 
bring  her  an  asp  concealed  in  a  basket  of  figs  ; 
for  Octavius  (who  by  this  time  was  master  of 
Alexandria)  had  desired  she  might  be  watched, 
and  prevented  from  destroying  herself. 

Cleopatra,  however,  disappointed  him  ;  and, 
having  dressed  herself  in  her  royal  robes,  ap- 
plied the  asp  to  her  arm,  and  soon  expired 
from  its  deadly  bite  :  her  two  favorite  women 


224  BIRTH    OF    JESUS    CHRIST. 

would  not  survive  her,  but  were  found  lying 
by  their  mistress,  all  three  having  just  ex- 
pired. 

Octavius,  now  master  of  the  Roman  re- 
public, was  declared  by  the  servile  senate 
Imperator,  or  Emperor,  and  Augustus.  The 
period  in  which  he  lived  is  called  the  Augus- 
tan Age,  and  was  celebrated  for  the  many 
learned  and  Avise  men  who  lived  during  it; 
as  Virgil,  Horace,  Ovid,  TibuUus,  among  the 
poets ;  Nepos,  Livy,  Strabo,  Dionysius  of 
Halicarnassus,  among  the  historians.  The 
empire  of  Rome  extended  over  almost  the 
whole  of  the  then  known  globe ;  and  arts, 
sciences,  and  luxury,  flourished  in  their  high- 
est excellence  in  the  imperial  city. 

But  of  all  the  events  that  distinguish  and 
honor  that  period,  the  birth  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  exercised  the  most  extensive  influence 
on  the  virtue,  the  happiness,  and  the  true  wis- 
dom of  mankind.  The  more  you  read  the 
New  Testament^  the  book  which  records  the 
life  and  the  precepts  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  more 
you  will  revere  his  character,  the  more  you 
will  feel  and  understand  the  excellence  of  the 
doctrines  which  he  inculcated.  To  that  sa- 
cred volume  I  refer  you,  for  the  best  account 
of  the  blessed  Author  of  the  Christian  reli- 
gion ;  a  religion  taking  its  name  from  him  ; 
a  religion  unrivalled  for  the  purity  of  its  morals 
and  the  simplicity  of  its  piety. 

I  have  only  to  observe,  that  all  the  histo- 


BIRTH    OF    JESUS    CHRIST.  225 

rians  of  the  time,  in  their  several  writings, 
confirm  the  accounts  recorded  in  the  Bible ; 
that  all  the  wisest  and  best  men  agree  in 
acknowledging  the  code  of  morality  given 
by  Jesus  Christ  to  be  the  most  excellent  the 
world  ever  received. 

I  will  not  quit  this  important  subject  with- 
out entreating  you  to  make  the  New  Testament 
the  guide  of  your  conduct :  you  will  require 
no  other ;  a  better  you  cannot  have,  for  it 
contains  all  most  essential  for  us  to  know,  all 
most  essential  for  us  to  practise.  My  dearest 
children,  did  Christians  but  practise  Chris- 
tianity ;  did  we  as  closely  and  as  anxiously 
study  the  New  Testament,  as  we  do  many 
other  books ;  did  we  as  earnestly  strive  to 
practise  the  rules  given  there,  as  we  do  the 
rules  of  grammar,  of  arithmetic,  and  the  other 
arts  and  sciences,  —  we  should  not  only  be  more 
good,  but  also  more  happy  ;  we  should  produce 
in  others  more  goodness  and  happiness,  and 
thus  all  mankind  would  increase  in  virtue  and 
felicity. 

Again,  I  say,  let  the  precepts  of  Christ  be 
your  rule  of  conduct. 

So  far,  we  have  reckoned  time  as  so  many 
years  before  Christ  ;  we  shall  now  begin  to 
reckon  time  as  so  many  years  after  Christ,  or 
An7io  Domini,  that  is,  "  the  year  of  our  Lord  ;  " 
the  fourth  year  of  his  life  being  the  first  year  of 
our  reckoning.  Jesus  Christ  was  crucified  in 
the  thirty-third  year  of  his  age,  that  is,  A.  D.  29. 


226  CHRISTIANITY. 


CHAPTER   XLIX. 

CHRISTIANITY. 

The  Old  Testament  was  translated  from 
the  Hebrew  into  Greek,  284  B.  C,  by  order 
of  Ptolemy  Philadelphus,  king  of  Egypt. 
The  books  of  the  New  Testament  were  col- 
lected into  one  volume  in  the  second  century 
after  the  death  of  Christ.* 

Jerusalem  is  a  city  in  Palestine,  and  was 
the  capital  of  the  ancient  kingdom  of  the 
Jews  ;  it  was  originally  called  Salem,  and  was 
founded  two  thousand  years  before  Christ. 
Solomon  built  its  celebrated  temple  :  this  tem- 
ple was  destroyed  by  Nebuchadnezzar,  king 
of  Babylon,  but  rebuilt  soon  after,  under  Cyrus, 
Darius,  and  Artaxerxes,  kings  of  the  Persians ; 
and,  when  Christ  lived,  it  was  a  splendid 
edifice. 

The  Jews,  or  Hebrews,  are,  you  know,  the 
descendants  of  the  Israelites,  the  people  whom 
Moses  led  from  the  tyranny  of  Pharaoh,  king 
of  Egypt.  You  remember  the  history  of 
Abraham  in  the  Bible,  and  of  his  son  Isaac. 
The  Jews  consider  themselves  as  descended 
from  him  ;  for  Jacob,  the  son  of  Isaac,  who 
took  the  name  of  Israel,  was  the  father  of  the 
twelve  tribes. 

*  Tytler. 


CHRISTIANITY.  227 

The  Jews  persecuted  Jesus  Christ  until 
they  compelled  Pontius  Pilate,  the  Roman  gov- 
ernor, to  put  him  to  death.  These  people  had 
long  expected  the  Messiah,  who,  they  sup- 
posed, would  be  a  great  and  powerful  monarch, 
who  would  appear  in  splendor,  redeem  them 
from  the  Roman  yoke,  and  establish  the  laws 
of  Moses,  their  own  lawgiver,  all  over  the 
world. 

When  they  beheld  a  Man  of  low  degree 
and  of  simple  manners,  who  plainly  declared 
that  "his  kingdom  was  not  of  this  world," 
their  disappointment  exasperated  them  to  per- 
secute both  him  and  the  religion  he  taught. 
The  Pharisees  and  Sadducees  were  two  Jewish 
sects,  that  were  most  violent  against  Jesus 
Christ. 

I  told  you  that  Herod  was  made  king  of 
Judasa  ;  he  proved  a  very  cruel  and  oppressive 
ruler,  and  died  of  a  painful  disorder.  He  di- 
vided his  kingdom  among  his  three  sons  ;  but 
quarrels  arising  between  them,  and  seditions 
among  their  subjects,  the  Romans  were  called 
in'  to  settle  the  dispute.  Augustus  made  a 
new  division,  and  Archelaus,  to  whom  Judaea 
had  been  assigned,  being  accused  of  cruelty, 
his  kingdom  was  taken  from  him  and  declared 
to  be  a  Roman  province. 

The  Jews,  dissatisfied  with  the  Roman 
government,  were  perpetually  rebelling  against 
it.  Not  only  they,  but  almost  all  people,  per- 
secuted the  followers  of  the  Christian  religion. 


228  CHRISTIANITY. 

The  Romans,  who  worshipped  many  gods, 
were  its  most  bitter  enemies  :  yet,  in  spite  of 
all  that  has  been  done,  by  various  nations  and 
at  various  periods,  to  prevent  the  advance  of 
Christianity;  it  has  spread  all  over  the  civil- 
ized world,  and  carried  with  it  refinement  and 
virtue. 

You  know  that  all  civilized  nations  at  pres- 
ent believe  in  one  God,  the  Lord  of  heaven 
and  earth,  the  Creator  of  all  things ;  and  that 
all  others  are  called  barbarians. 

The  forms  of  the  Christian  religion  are  in^ 
deed  various,  but  the  doctrines  are  the  same ; 
for  Christ  was  the  founder  of  all.  He  did  not 
command  any  particular  form  of  worship  ;  he 
only  explained  in  what  all  virtue  consists  ; 
he  only  showed  how  we  should  best  please 
God,  how  best  serve  each  other,  how  best 
secure  our  own  happiness.  He  pointed  out 
the  virtues  that  ought  to  be  practised,  and  how 
they  could  be  attained  ;  but  he  left  it  to  our- 
selves to  determine  on  the  ceremonies  of  reli- 
gion, on  the  mode  in  which  \ve  would  pray; 
very  few  ^vere  the  directions  he  left  on  this 
subject,  and  those  are  generally  observed  by 
such  as  profess  his  faith. 

I  beg  you  to  reflect  on  all  the  circumstances 
I  have  stated.  An  apparently  humbly-born 
individual  teaches  a  religion,  which,  against 
the  persecution  of  kings  and  kingdoms,  be- 
comes the  religion  of  the  civilized  world. 
Could  this  have  taken   place,  if  that  religion 


THE    ROMAN    EMPERORS.  22& 

had  not  been  excellent  in  itself?  if  that  re- 
ligion had  not  been  inspired  and  blessed  by- 
God? 


CHAPTER  L. 

OF  THE   ROMAN   EMPERORS. 

This  little  book  could  not  contain  a  partic- 
ular account  of  each  of  the  Roman  emperors : 
I  have  therefore  written  a  Table,  in  which 
you  will  see,  at  one  view,  their  names,  succes- 
sion, fate,  and  characters,  from  Julius  Caesar 
to  Constantino  the  Great.  The  character  I 
have  attached  to  each,  is  such  as  is  generally 
recorded  and  believed.  When  you  read  their 
history  at  large,  you  must  judge  for  your- 
selves how  far  the  character  here  given  is  just ; 
and  then  you  can  make  any  alterations  in  this 
i  Table  that  you  may  think  necessary. 

You  will  observe,  with  pain,  how  few  were 
good  and  wise,  in  comparison  of  those  who 
were  vicious,  ignorant,  or  weak.  Too  many 
of  the  worthy,  in  the  latter  days  of  Rome, 
;  suffered  a  premature  and  violent  death  ;  this 
marks  the  degeneracy  of  the  people  in  that 
period. 

The  wicked,  you  will  observe,  are  all  (with- 
out a  single  exception)  put  to  a  cruel  or  igno- 
i  minious  death.  This  proves  that,  even  in  the 
20 


230  THE    ROMAN    EMPERORS. 

highest  and  most  powerful  station^  guilt  does 
not  escape  deserved  punishment. 

The  Christian  religion  was  persecuted  dur- 
ing the  whole  of  this  period ;  even  the  mild 
and  accomplished  Trajan  was  its  enemy. 
Yet,  in  spite  of  persecution,  Christianity  con- 
tinued gradually  to  gain  ground,  and  to  spread 
itself  through  various  quarters  of  the  world  ; 
until  Constantine  the  Great,  professing  himself 
a  Christian,  conformed  to  the  rites  of  that  re- 
ligion, and  his  subjects  willingly  followed  his 
example. 

St.  Peter,  one  of  the  apostles  of  Christ,  is 
sometimes  called  the  first  pope  of  Rome.  But 
the  title  of  pope,  so  used,  merely  means  the 
head  of  the  church  ;  the  pope,  at  that  time, 
having  no  temporal  power  or  dominion. 

You  can  easily  suppose  that  pious  men 
were  appointed  by  the  apostles  and  disciples 
of  Christ,  to  teach  his  religion  in  diiferent 
towns  and  cities.  These  teachers  sometimes 
were  denominated  bishops  ;  and  thus,  rising 
from  one  title  to  another,  and  from  a  lower  to 
a  higher  degree  of  influence,  they  were  next 
archbishops  ;  then  these  chose  for  their  head  a 
patriarch,  or  father  of  the  church ;  and,  last 
of  ail,  the  chief  of  the  Christian  rehgion  was 
denominated  a.  pope. 


231 


EMPERORS  OF  ROME, 

FROM    JULIUS    C^SAR    (1)    TO    MAXIMINUS. 


J      Began 

to  reign,  No.    Death.  Character. 

A.D. 

AUGUSTUS  .    2 

.      14  ElbniUB  .      ..3  Smothered      ..  Wicked. 
,     37  ©aUgula   .      . .     4  Murdered  .      . .  Tyrannical. 
41  dautlfus  5.   . .     5  Poisoned    .      . .  Contemptible. 
54  Wero        ..     ..     6  Stabbed   ..      ..  Vicious. 
68  ffialta     . .     . .     7  Beheaded  .      . .  Severe. 
'     69  ©tt)0        . .     . .     8  Killed  himself .  Usurper. 
*      69  VittlUm  .      . .     9  Massacred »     . .  Worthless. 

'     69  VESPASIAN.    10 Virtuous. 

79  TITUS    . .     . .  11  . .     , Wise  and  good. 

'      81  ©omitfan.      ..  12  Assassinated  ..  A  monster. 

96  NERVA   .     ,.13 Mild. 

98  TRAJAN.     ..14 Admirable. 

117  ADRIAN.     ..15 Excellent. 

138  ANTONINUS.  16 Very  good. 

161  AURELIUS  ..  17 Amiable. 

180  Commotrus     ..  18  Killed      ..     ..Cruel. 
192  PERTINAX    .  19  Murdered  .      . .  Good. 

192  IBiTifus    . .     . .  20  Beheaded  .      . .  Mercenary. 

193  SEVERUS    . .  21 . .  Worthy. 

211  €aiacalla       . .  22  Murdered  .      . .  Brutal. 

217  l^acrmus      ..  23  Killed      ..     ..  Licentious. 

218  5^ell0flabalus   .  24  Assassinated  . .  A  wretch. 
222  ALEXANDER  25  Beheaded  .     . .  Virtuous. 

235  ^a):tmfnus  •  •  26  Slain Cruel  and  base. 


232 


EMPERORS  OP  ROME, 

FROM   BALBINUS    TO    CONSTANTINE    THE    GREAT. 

Began 

to  reign,  No.    Death.     ,,  Character. 

A.D. 

238  BALBINUS       ..  27  Murdered.     ..  Wise. 

238  ©ortiian     ..     ..28  Killed      ..     ..  Prosperous. 

244  ^Ptjflip 29  Beheaded  .     . .  Ungrateful. 

249  DECIUS     . .     . .  30  Drowned  .     . .  Good. 

251  eKallus 31  Killed      ..     ..  Wicked. 

253  .EMILIANUS  . .  32  Murdered  .     . .  Brave. 

254  Ualetfan     ..     ..33  Murdered.     ..  Able, 

260  eSallfeilus  ..     ..34  Slain Careless. 

268  CLAUDIUS  II.     35 Excellent. 

270  aurclfan    ..     ..  36  Killed      ..     ..  Severe. 

275  TACITUS  .     ..  37 Virtuous. 

276  33cot)US 38  Murdered  .     . .  Brave. 

282  Cams   ...     . .  39  . .     ....     . .  Active. 

283  ©arinus      ..     ..40  Murdered.     ..  Licentious. 

284  MocUtian  ..     ..  41   ..     ....     ..  Stern. 

304  CONSTANTIUS   42 Good. 

306  CONSTANTINE  43  ..     ..     .;.     ..  The  Great. 

The  good  emperors  have  their  name^  in  capitals.    Such, 
v(?hose  deaths  are  not  otherwise  described,  died  naturally. 


TIBERIUS.  233 

CHAPTER   LL 

TIBERIUS.    CALIGULA. 

Tiberius,  third  husband  of  Julia,  the  daugh- 
ter of  Augustus,  and  son  of  Livia,  the  second 
wife  of  Augustus,  became  emperor  after  the 
death  of  Augustus. 

In  the  reign  of  Tiberius,  Jesus  Christ  was 
crucified,  and  the  reckoning  by  Olympiads 
ceased.  From  this  period  only  one  mode  of 
computing  time  has  been  observed  —  A.  D., 
Anno  Domini,  or  Year  of  our  Lord. 

Tiberius  was  a  cruel  tyrant,  and  perpetrated 
numberless  crimes.  He  had  a  favorite,  named 
Sejanus,  who  flattered  and  cajoled  him  ;  and 
persuaded  him  to  quit  Rome  and  retire  to 
Caprsea,  a  small  island  on  the  coast  of  Italy. 
Tiberius,  however,  discovered  that  Sejanus 
was  plotting  to  become  emperor  himself,  and 
he  therefore  commanded  the  death  of  the 
faithless  courtier. 

One  cannot  read  without  horror,  not  un- 
mixed with  pity,  of  the  miserable  end  of  Se- 
janus. Old,  and  long  accustomed  to  power 
and  splendor,  he  found  himself  all  at  once 
deprived  of  wealth  and  consequence,  and  sen- 
tenced to  an  ignominious  death.  Of  the  many 
flatterers  who  had  bowed  to  him  in  his  pros- 
20* 


234  TIBERIUS. 

perity,  not  one  was  found  to  soften  his  adver- 
sity. Sejanus  had  no  friends,  because  he  had 
no  virtues. 

Deserted  and  disgraced,  the  artful  traitor 
was  led  to  execution ;  and,  when  he  would 
have  covered  his  face  in  the  bitterness  of 
shame  and  humiliation,  this  small  mercy  was 
denied  him :  his  hands  were  secured,  so  that 
his  face  was  exposed  to  the  insults  of  the  mob. 

The  good  man,  however  humbled  and  dis- 
graced, is  sure  to  meet  with  some  pity  from 
the  most  vulgar  and  most  unfeeling  ;  but  the 
wicked  finds  no  commiseration.  His  own 
heart  is  his  accuser :  what  wonder,  then,  that 
others  should  accuse  him  ! 

Sejanus  was  strangled,  and  all  his  family 
were  executed  with  him. 

It  will  be  impossible  for  me  to  describe  to 
you  the  cruelties  of  Tiberius.  There  was 
not  a  crime  that  he  did  not  perpetrate,  not  a 
suffering  he  did  not  inflict. 

In  his  reign,  there  were  men  whose  sole 
business  was  to  contrive  new  pleasures  :  then 
also  lived  Apicius,  the  most  notorious  glutton 
that  ever  disgraced  human  nature  ;  he  spent  a 
large  fortune  on  one  entertainment,  and  would 
give  a  hundred  pounds  for  a  single  dish.  A 
hundred  pounds  !  How  many  starving  beg- 
gars would  that  sum  feed  and  clothe  !  Sure- 
ly Rome  was  sadly  fallen  from  her  greatness, 
from  those  days  of  moderation  and  simplicity, 


TIBERIUS.       CALIGULA.  235 

when  Cincinnatus  left  his  plough  to  govern 
her  councils,  and  Regulus  quitted  his  farm  to 
fight  her  battles ! 

It  was  wonderful  that,  spending  so  indolent 
and  so  licentious  a  life,  Tiberius  should  live  to 
the  age  of  seventy-eight :  being  then  taken 
ill,  he  lingered  so  long,  that  Caligula,  whom 
he  had  appointed  his  successor,  permitted  him 
to  be  smothered.  Thus  died  this  wicked  em- 
peror, who  had  been  heard  to  say,  so  guilty 
was  the  nation  become,  and  so  difficult  to 
govern,  that  he  wished  ''  heaven  and  earth 
might  perish  with  him  when  he  died." 

Reckoning  Julius  Csesar  as  the  first  emper- 
or, which  most  historians  do,  Tiberius  was 
the  third  emperor  of  Rome :  he  expired 
A.  D.  37. 

Caligula,  fourth  emperor  of  Rome,  was  the 
son  of  Germanicus  and  Agrippina.  Germani- 
cus  was  the  nephew  of  Tiberius,  and  so  much 
beloved  by  the  soldiers,  that  they  would  have 
made  him  emperor  instead  of  Tiberius  ;  but 
this  just  and  good  man  would  not  consent  to 
an  act  of  disloyalty.  From  their  love  to  him, 
the  people  rejoiced  to  see  his  son  Caligula 
placed  on  the  throne. 

The  beginning  of  this  reign  was  very 
promising.  Caligula  seemed  willing  to  dc 
whatever  was  right :  he  banished  the  crue 
Pontius  Pilate,  and  refused  to  look  at  a  papci 
which  contained  the  discovery  of  a  conspiracy 
against  him ;  saying,  ^'  I  have  done  nothing 


236  CALIGULA* 

to  cause  men  to  hate  me,  and  therefore  I  do 
not  fear  their  enmity."  This  was  a  noble 
sentiment,  and  worthy  the  manly  fearlessness 
of  an  innocent  mind !  Pity  that  for  eight 
months  only,  Caligula  acted  virtuously  and 
wisely !  His  after  life  was  one  scene  of  folly 
and  wickedness ;  and  the  only  palliative  it 
admits  of,  is  the  consideration  that  he  must 
have  been  insane. 

He  pretended  to  be  sometimes  one  heathen 
god,  and  sometimes  another.  One  day  he 
called  himself  Jupiter,  another  day  Mars.  He 
built  temples  for  himself  to  be  worshipped  in, 
and  appointed  priests  to  perform  sacrifice  to 
him.  You  will  be  shocked  to  hear  that  he 
made  his  horse  one  of  these  priests  ;  though 
indeed  such  a  priest  was  fit  for  such  a  divinity  ! 

This  was  the  conduct  of  a  fool ;  and  how 
a  person  capable  of  making  the  fine  speech 
I  have  related,  could  have  so  greatly  degen- 
erated, can  only  be  explained  by  the  supposi- 
tion, that  extensive  dominion  sometimes  causes 
a  derangement  in  weak  minds. 

Caligula  was  murdered  when  going  to  his 
bath  ;  the  conspirator  who  first  struck  him, 
calling  out,  as  he  gave  the  blow,  ^'  Tyrant, 
think  upon  this  !  " 

He  was  only  twenty-nine  years  old  !  How 
short  his  life !  how  long  the  catalogue  of  his 
follies  and  crimes ! 

Caligula  was  murdered  A.  D.  41. 


CLAUDIUS.  237 


CHAPTER   LII. 

CLAUDIUS,    EMPEROR     OF    ROME.       CARACTACUS, 
THE   BRITISH    KING. 

The  Island  of  Britain  was  invaded,  as  I 
have  mentioned,  by  Julius  Cassar  ;  and  though, 
from  his  time,  the  Romans  fancied  themselves 
lords  of  Britain,  yet,  as  they  never  troubled 
the  rude  islanders,  these  islanders  felt  them- 
selves free  and  independent. 

In  the  reign  of  Tiberius,  some  Roman 
soldiers,  being  wrecked  on  the  coast  of  Britain, 
were  treated  very  kindly  by  the  natives.  The 
principal  Britons  occasionally  visited  Rome, 
and  sometimes  sent  their  children  to  be  edu- 
cated there  ;  so  that  the  two  nations  lived  upon 
very  friendly  terms  with  each  other. 

The  worthless  Caligula  talked  sometimes 
of  invading  the  island;  but,  despised  abroad 
as  well  as  at  home,  his  intentions  were  heard 
with  contempt. 

When  Claudius  became  emperor,  a  Roman 
army  invaded  Britain  and  made  some  con- 
quests ;  and  Claudius,  coming  over  himself 
soon  afterwards,  received  the  homage  of  great 
part  of  the.  island. 

The  Britons  had  a  little  improved  by  their 
intercourse  with  the  Romans  ;  they  had  begun 
to  trade  with  each  other,  and  understood  some- 


238  CARACTACUS. 

thing  of  the  art  of  war  ;  but  they  were  still  a 
very  uncivilized  race,  and  were  divided  into 
several  small  states,  or  principalities,  each  hav- 
ing its  own  chief.  In  time  of  danger,  however, 
from  foreign  foes,  they  used  sometimes  to 
choose  a  general  to  command  their  united 
forces.  Cassibelaunus,  of  whom  you  have 
read,  was  so  chosen ;  and  now,  when  Clau- 
dius sent  soldiers  and  governors  to  conquer 
and  rule  the  natives,  another  Briton  distin- 
guished himself:   this  was  Caractacus. 

Caractacus,  king  of  one  of  the  small  princi- 
pahties.  and  elected  general  of  the  British 
army,  boldly  opposed  the  despotism  of  the 
Roman  praetors,  and  the  inroads  of  the  Roman 
soldiers.  Often  defeated,  he  yet  bravely  re- 
turned to  the  charge,  and  sometimes  gained 
the  advantage. 

The  Silures,  a  warlike  tribe,  living  on  the 
banks  of  the  River  Severn,  were  attacked  by 
the  conquerors  ;  and  Caractacus,  their  chief, 
saw  that  his  army  was  likely  to  be  subdued. 
But  he  did  not  therefore  resign  himself  to 
despair,  and  tamely  submit  to  the  Romans. 
No  ;  he  made  the  best  possible  disposition  of 
his  small  forces  ;  he  flew  from  troop  to  troop, 
exhorting  them  to  fight  valiantly,  and  rescue 
their  liberty  from  cruel  invaders.  In  the  sa- 
cred cause  of  freedom,  Britons,  in  every  period, 
have  been  found  brave  and  enterprising.  The 
soldiers  of  Caractacus  replied  to  him  by  shouts 
of  determined  valor.     They  fought,  as  they 


CLAUDIUS.  239 

had  promised,  firmly  and  valiantly;  but  the 
superior  skill  of  the  Romans  prevailed,  and  the 
Britons  were  defeated. 

Caractacus,  in  hopes  of  saving  himself  for 
better  times,  and  of  collecting  forces  again  to 
assault  the  invaders,  took  refuge  with  Cartis- 
mandua,  queen  of  the  Brigantes,  another  of 
the  small  states ;  and  this  unworthy  woman 
delivered  him  up  to  the  Romans. 

Claudius  was  so  delighted  to  hear  of  this 
capture,  that  he  gave  orders  for  the  noble  pris- 
oner to  be  sent  to  Rome. 

Caractacus,  surrounded  by  his  family,  was 
conducted  into  the  presence  of  the  emperor. 
Claudius  was  seated  on  a  splendid  throne,  and 
environed  by  pomp  and  magnificence.  The 
British  king  looked  with  a  calm,  undaunted 
eye  upon  the  dazzling  scene,  and  simply  ob- 
serv^ed,  "  Strange,  that  a  nation  possessed  of 
so  much  wealth  and  power  should  envy  me 
my  humble  cottage  !  " 

It  is  recorded  that  his  address  to  Claudius 
was  equally  wise  and  temperate.  ''  Could  I 
have  submitted  to  power,"  said  he,  "  I  should 
have  been  here  as  a  guest,  and  not  a  captive. 
My  resistance  does  but  add  to  the  splendor 
of  your  triumph.  I  am  now  at  your  mercy, 
and,  if  treated  with  lenity,  my  fate  will  be  a 
proof  of  your  clemency  and  moderation." 

The  language  of  courage,  tempered  by  pru- 
dence, made  its  just  impression :  Claudius 
ordered  the  chains  to  be  instantly  taken  off 


240  CLAUDIUS. 

Caractacus  and  his  family,  and  restored  them 
all  to  freedom. 

Perhaps  this  is  the  only  worthy  action  per- 
formed by  Claudius ;  for  he  and  his  wife 
Messalina  were,  otherwise,  only  remarkable 
for  depravity  and  licentiousness ;  so  much  so, 
that  Messalina  is  often  used  as  a  name  for  a 
bad  wom.an. 

Though  Claudius  did  not  ennoble  his  own 
reign,  it  was  ennobled  for  him  by  one  of  his 
subjects. 

Arria,  the  faithful  wife  of  Paetus,  distin- 
guished herself  by  singular  fortitude  and  reso- 
lution. Her  husband,  having  joined  in  an 
unsuccessful  conspiracy  against  the  emperor, 
tried  to  escape,  but  was  taken  and  brought 
back  to  Rome.  His  wife  implored  that  she 
might  be  allowed  to  attend  him,  saying,  ''  All 
men  of  rank  are  indulged  with  slaves  to  wait 
upon  them  ;  let  me  go  as  the  attendant  of 
my  husband." 

Her  prayer  was  denied ;  but  she  followed 
the  ship  in  which  Paetus  was  conveyed,  and 
in  an  open  boat  trusted  herself  to  the  waves. 

Whilst  Paetus  was  in  prison,  his  only  son 
sickened  and  died.  Arria  watched  her  beloved 
child  during  his  severe  and  fatal  malady,  till 
he  expired.  The  agony  of  such  a  sorrow 
mothers  only  can  understand.  Yet  did  the 
broken-hearted  Arria  keep  the  fatal  secret  from 
her  husband,  and,  when  he  asked  for  his  child 
governed  herself  to  say,  "He  is  well." 


NERO.  241 

She  knew  Paetus  would  not  be  permitted 
to  live  long,  and  she  desired  to  spare  him  so 
severe  a  shock.  At  length,  his  death  was  de- 
creed, and  he  was  sentenced  to  destroy  him- 
self. Arria,  seeing  him  fearful  of  committing 
the  awful  deed,  and  knowing  that  it  must  be 

i  committed,  bravely  set  him  the  example. 

In  his  presence,  she  stabbed  herself  with  a 
dagger ;    and    then,  giving  the    blood-stained 

'  weapon  into  his  hand,  she  exclaimed,  "  My 

i  Pastus,  it  is  not  painful." 

Stained  with  the  blood  of  many  other  vic- 
tims, the  vicious  Claudius  died  by  poison. 
His  second  wife,  Agrippina,  a  monster  of  ini- 
quity, and  the  mother  of  a  monster  of  iniquity, 
—  of  Nero,  — killed  Claudius  by  putting  poi- 
son into  a  dish  of  mushrooms. 


CHAPTER   LHI. 

NERO.  SENECA.  BOADICEA. 

Instead  of  his  son  Britannicus,  Nero,  the 
adopted  son  of  Claudius,  became  emperor, 
A.  D.  54.  At  first,  he  affected  to  be  very 
modest  and  prudent ;  but  he  soon  showed  his 
wicked  disposition,  by  causing  Britannicus  to 
be  poisoned,  and  his  own  mother  to  be  mur- 
dered. Perhaps  a  more  horrible  wretch  never 
existed  :  he  killed  persons  for  his  amusement, 
21 


242  SENECA. 

and  was  never  so  well  pleased  as  when  tortur- 
ing his  fellow-creatures. 

Now,  let  us  consider  what  are  our  feelings 
on  beholding  any  human  being  in  pain :  does 
not  the  smallest  wound  of  a  stranger,  a  beg- 
gar, an  enemy,  awaken  our  pity  ?  And  do  not 
we  feel  eager  to  lessen  the  torture  and  heal  the 
sore  ?  What  sort  of  man  must  that  have  been, 
who,  contrary  to  this  common  course  of  nature, 
was  not  merely  insensible  to  misery,  but  re- 
joiced to  behold  it  ?  We  often  talk  of  Nero 
and  other  cruel  monsters ;  but  we  scarcely 
reflect  upon  all  the  hideousness  of  such  char- 
acters. 

Among  Nero's  murders  was  that  of  Seneca, 
his  tutor,  a  very  learned  philosopher.  Nero 
hated  him  for  being  wise  and  virtuous,  and 
sent  him  orders  to  —  destroy  himself. 

Seneca  received  this  command  with  great 
composure  ;  and  would  instantly  have  prepared 
for  it,  by  completing  his  will.  This  favor 
was  denied;  so  he  told  his  friends,  "as  he 
was  not  permitted  to  give  the  legacies  in 
money  which  he  intended,  he  left  them  the 
most  precious  legacy  he  could  bequeath  —  his 
example." 

The  wife  of  Seneca  besought  him  to  let  her 
die  with  him ;  and,  when  he  found  she  was 
quite  serious,  and  very  earnest,  he  consented 
to  her  wishes.  The  veins  of  their  arms  were 
opened,  that  so  they  might  both  bleed  to  death  ; 
but,  Seneca  being  old,  his  blood  did  not  flow 


SENEGA.  243 

readily ;  and  though  he  was  put  into  a  warm 
bath,  to  make  it  flow  more  freely,  he  con- 
tinued to  suffer  long  and  exquisitely.  He 
bore  all  this  torture  with  patient  firmness,  and 
during  its  continuance  dictated  a  discourse, 
which  was  written  down  as  he  spoke  it.  At 
last,  he  died.  His  wife  Paulina  fainted  away, 
and  her  servants  took  that  opportunity  of  bind- 
ing up  the  wounds  of  her  arms.  Thus  her 
life  was  saved,  and  she  survived  some  years. 

How  often  we  hear  of  people  enduring  pain, 
and  consenting  to  die,  without  a  murmur  or  a 
complaint !  But  do  we  justly  appreciate  the 
merits  of  the  heroic  sufferers  ?  We  applaud 
them,  indeed ;  but  we  applaud  them  without 
sufficient  consideration  of  their  merit.  What 
think  you  of  Mutius  holding  his  hand  in  a 
fire  ?  Hold  your  finger  to  the  flame  of  the 
candle  ;  you  quickly  draw  it  back,  the  instant 
you  feel  the  burning  heat.  Pray,  then,  in 
future,  more  truly  value  the  courage  and  reso- 
lution of  those  persons  who  have  well  borne 
what  you  shrink  from  bearing.  Learn  also, 
by  their  example,  that  much  can  be  endured  ; 
and  early  prepare  yourself  to  imitate  the  vir- 
tue you  admire,  by  enduring  slight  pains  and 
sicknesses  in  silence  and  fortitude.  We  read 
history  for  improvement,  as  well  as  amuse- 
ment—  the  improvement  of  our  hearts,  and 
minds,  and  manners :  history  is  the  glass  in 
which  we  see  the  deformity  of  vice  and  the 


244  THE    BRITONS. 

beauty  of  virtue ;  in  which  we  see  what  to 
shun  and  what  to  imitate. 

The  Britons  now  made  another  effort  to  re- 
cover their  liberty,  and  a  Roman  army  was 
sent  to  subdue  them.  The  brave  islanders 
posted  themselves  on  the  shore  to  oppose  the 
coming  foe.  and  their  Druids  joined  the  sol- 
diers, in  hopes  that  their  venerable  appearance 
would  assist  in  appalling  the  enemy ;  the 
women  also  were  seen  running  about  with 
blazing  torches  in  their  hands,  their  hair 
dishevelled,  and  their  dress  wild  and  strange. 
The  Romans  were  shocked  at  this  sight,  and 
at  first  gave  way  ;  but  their  general,  Paulinus, 
rallying  them,  they  fought  with  their  usual 
success,  routed  the  Britons,  and  burned  the 
poor  old  Druids. 

These  Druids,  or  priests,  were  accustomed 
to  perform  their  religious  ceremonies  in  groves 
and  woods ;  and  the  mistletoe,  a  plant  that 
grows  on  oaks  and  apple-trees,  was  used  by 
them  in  these  ceremonies.  The  Romans  cut 
down  the  groves,  and  destroyed  the  altars 
reared  in  them. 

But  the  oppression  of  the  officers  left  to 
rule  them,  and  the  vast  sums  of  money  re- 
quired from  them,  again  drove  the  Britons  to 
war.  Boadicea,  queen  of  the  Iceni,  (one  of 
the  British  tribes,)  a  spirited  woman,  took 
the  command  of  the  assembled  troops.  The 
father    of    Boadicea,   wilUng   to   gratify  the 


BOADICEA. 


245 


Romans  and  preserve  his  child  from  their 
oppression,  when  he  died,  had  left  one  half 
of  his  territory  to  the  Romans,  that  so  his 
daughter  might  be  allowed  to  enjoy  her  por- 
tion. 

But  the  greedy  Romans  were  not  satisfied 
with  half;  they  chose  to  have  all,  and  there- 
fore Boadicea  resolved  to  make  an  effort  in 
defence  of  her  rights. 


This  queen  appeared  in  a  chariot,  and  ex- 
horted the  soldiers  to  fight  manfully.  At  first, 
she  was  successful ;  but  at  last  she  was  totally 
defeated  ;  and,  to  save  herself  from  the  power 
of  the  pitiless  conquerors,  she  destroyed  her- 
self by  poison. 

The  death  of  Nero  was  as  horrid  as  his  life 
21* 


246  NERO.       GALEA. 

had  been  wicked.  A  general  of  his,  Julius 
Vindex,  who  was  governor  in  Gaul,  wished 
to  rid  the  world  of  such  a  monster,  and  de- 
clared publicly,  "  Whoever  will  bring  me  the 
head  of  Nero  shall  have  mine  ;  "  and  further 
to  prove  his  disinterestedness,  he  proclaimed 
Galba  (the  governor  of  Spain)  emperor. 

This  spirit  once  roused,  Nero  saw  himself 
on  the  brink  of  ruin,  and,  like  a  coward,  fled 
from  Rome.  Hearing  that  he  v/as  pursued, 
he  tried  to  kill  himself,  but  his  trembling 
hands  faltered  in  the  deed ;  and  he  was  in- 
debted to  the  help  of  one  of  his  secretaries 
for  an  eas}^  death. 

He  had  lived  for  some  days  in  a  state  of 
the  most  abject  wretchedness  ;  sleeping  in  a 
hole  in  a  hedge  amidst  briers  and  rushes, 
feeding  on  dry  bread  and  coid  water.  Could 
any  fate  be  too  abject  for  such  a  wretch  ? 
Pray  read  his  history,  and  say,  could  a  man 
more  debase  his  nature  ? 


CHAPTER   LIY. 

VESPASIAN.    JERUSALEM  DESTROYED.     PLINY. 

Galea,    though    severe,    had    many    good 
qualities,  and  perhaps  deserved  a  better  fate 


OTHO.  247 

than  the  one  he  experienced ;  for  he  was  be* 
headed  by  some  revolted  troops,  who  had 
chosen  Otho  for  then*  king. 

Otho  began  his  reign  well,  by  forgiving 
and  honoring  a  person  who  had  been  friendly 
to  his  rival,  Galba  ;  for  he  said,  "  Fidelity  de- 
serves reward."  He  was  further  remarkable 
for  resigning  his  life  when  the  tranquillity  of 
the  state  required  his  death. 

The  army,  you  will  observe,  were  now 
very  powerful,  both  at  home  and  abroad  ;  for 
they  raised  whom  they  pleased  to  the  throne ; 
and  now,  deserting  Otho,  they  followed  an- 
other leader. 

When  Otho  heard  of  this,  aware  that  a  war 
must  ensue,  he  set  off  with  an  army  to  re- 
store peace ;  but,  failing  in  the  attempt,  he  an- 
nounced his  intention  of  dying.  He  thanked 
his  soldiers  for  their  fidelity,  and  added,  "  I 
die  to  procure  your  safety.  Others  gain  praise 
for  governing  well ;  be  it  my  praise  to  resign 
an  empire,  rather  than  injure  it  by  false 
ambition !  " 

He  then  made  every  prudent  arrangement 
for  the  safety  of  his  friends,  and  was  about  to 
give  the  fatal  blow,  when  he  heard  a  tumult 
among  the  soldiers.  "  I  will  add  one  day  to 
my  life,"  said  he,  and  devoted  himself  to 
queUing  the  riot.  At  night  he  slept  calmly 
and  soundly,  with  two  daggers  under  his  pil- 
low ;  and  early  the  next  morning  stabbed  him- 
self to  the  heart  with  one  of  them. 


248  VESPASIAN.       TITUS. 

I  think  Otho  deserves  to  be  remembered. 
What  think  you  ? 

Yitellius  now  became  emperor ;  but  what 
shall  I  tell  you  of  him,  except  that  he  was  in- 
dolent, luxurious,  and  worthless  ?  He  was 
massacred  by  the  enraged  populace,  who  were 
disgusted  by  his  gluttony  and  intemperance. 

Vespasian,  the  general  of  the  revolted 
troops,  was  by  them  created  emperor,  A.  D. 
69.  There  was  still  a  senate  in  Rome  ;  but 
it  had  greatly  changed  from  the  senate  of  for- 
mer times.  The  soldiers  and  the  reigning 
emperor  governed  its  decrees ;  and,  conse- 
quently, Rome  was  little  benefited  by  its 
counsels.  But  the  senate  gave  its  sanction  to 
the  election  of  Yespasian.  He  was  in  Egypt 
at  this  time,  but  returned,  the  next  year,  to 
Rome,  leaving  his  son  in  the  command  of  an 
army  with  which  he  was  to  besiege  Jeru- 
salem. 

Titus  fully  executed  the  command  of  his 
father,  and  vigorously  attacked  the  Jews. 
These  people  had  long  resisted  the  Romans; 
and  now,  assembUng  their  forces  at  Jerusa- 
lem, all  the  factions  in  the  city  united  to 
oppose  the  general  enemy. 

The  Jews  were  at  first  successful ;  but 
Titus  not  only  ably  commanded  his  soldierS; 
but  himself  fought  valiantly  amidst  them. 
Jerusalem  was  defended  by  three  walls,  the 
outer  of  which  Titus  battered  down  with 
huge  machines.     He  repeatedly  offered  par- 


JERUSALEM    DESTROYED.  249 

don  and  mercy  to  the  besieged ;  but  this  de- 
luded race  scorned  all  his  offers.  So  severe 
was  the  famine,  that  it  is  said  a  mother  ate 
her  own  child ! 

To  believe  this  is  almost  impossible  :  how- 
ever, when  Titus  heard  of  this  shocking 
action,  he  vowed  to  destroy  the  city  in  which 
it  had  been  perpetrated ;  and  he  fulfilled  his 
threat.  After  six  months  of  warfare,  the  city 
was  taken,  its  fine  temple  burnt,  and  all  its 
houses  and  walls  were  so  completely  de- 
stroyed, that,  according  to  the  prophecy  of 
Jesus  Christ,  "■  not  one  stone  was  left  upon 
another."     A.  D.  70. 

The  inhabitants  were  almost  all  cut  to 
pieces ;  the  few  Jews  who  escaped  were  dis- 
persed into  different  parts  of  the  world.  From 
that  period,  they  have  been  a  wandering  race, 
straying  about  in  almost  every  town  and  vil- 
lage in  Europe,  yet  having  no  country  of  their 
own. 

The  soldiers  wished  to  crown  Titus  as  con- 
queror ;  but  he  modestly  refused  that  honor, 
saying,  "  he  was  only  an  instrument  in  the 
hand  of  Heaven." 

Vespasian  was  much  pleased  with  the 
success  of  his  son,  and  they  entered  Rome 
together  in  triumph.  This  emperor  ordained 
many  beneficial  arrangements,  and  so  much 
discountenanced  luxury  and  effeminacy,  that 
he  broke  a  young  officer  (that  is,  turned  him 
out  of  his  rank)  because  he  was  perfumed. 


250  PLINF. 

Pliny,  the  great  naturalist,  lived  at  this 
time.  He  deeply  considered  the  works  of 
nature,  and  made  discoveries,  and  wrote 
books,  which  even  at  this  day  are  much 
esteemed.  He  examined  the  growth,  form, 
and  uses  of  flowers  and  plants,  which  study 
is  called  hotany  ;  and  amused  himself  by  ob- 
serving many  other  parts  of  nature.  He 
lost  his  life  by  visiting  Mount  Vesuvius  dur- 
ing an  eruption,  A.  D.  79.  The  mephitic, 
or  suffocating  air,  it  is  supposed,  caused  his 
death.  Yesuvius,  you  know,  is  a  very  high 
mountain,  near  Naples,  in  Italy ;  and  every 
now  and  then,  from  its  top  issue  smoke  and 
fire.  This  fire  is  so  fierce  that  it  throws  out 
a  liquid  burning  matter,  called  lava,  which 
runs  down  the  side  of  the  mountain,  burn- 
ing trees,  overwhelming  fields,  and  throwing 
down  houses  :  in  short,  destroying  whatever 
comes  in  its  way,  until  it  reaches  the  sea,  into 
which  it  finally  falls.  This  lava,  when  cold, 
becomes  hard,  and.  I  believe,  looks  like  a 
black  cinder :  in  that  state  it  is  cut  out  in 
pieces  ;  and  walls,  and  even  houses,  are  built 
with  it,  instead  of  stone.  Just  about  the  time 
of  Titus  becoming  emperor,  an  eruption  of 
Yesuvius  took  place,  when  Pliny  was  killed. 
The  lava  and  ashes  from  the  fire  entirely 
overwhelmed  two  towns,  Pompeii  and  Hercu- 
laneum.  So  rapid  and  unexpected  was  the 
event,  that  the  inhabitants  were  smothered  in 
the   houses    and    streets ;    and  the    lava   rose 


POMPEII  AND  HERCULANEUM.     251 

many  feet  above  the  tops  of  the  houses.  Very 
lately,  some  of  the  lava  has  been  dug  away  ; 
and  now  people  can  go  down  into  the  city, 
and  see  the  dried  skeletons  of  the  poor  inhab- 
itants, and  the  furniture  of  the  houses,  and 
every  thing,  in  short,  in  the  same  state  in 
which  it  was  when  first  overwhelmed.  The 
very  ruts  made  in  the  ground  by  the  carts  and 
carriages  are  plainly  discernible.  In  a  valua- 
ble little  work,  entitled  ''  Relics  of  Antiquity," 
you  will  find  an  interesting  account  of  this 
eruption,  and  of  the  present  state  of  the  two 
unfortunate  cities. 

But  we  have  alm.ost  forgotten  the  emperor 
of  Rome  and  his  actions.  The  deeds  of  man 
must  always  be  forgotten  in  the  greater  (how 
much  greater  !)  works  of  God. 

Vespasian  lived  usefully  and  virtuously,  and 
died  calmly,  standing  on  his  feet ;  for  he  said 
an  emperor  ought  so  to  die.  Vespasian  was  as 
modest  as  his  son  ;  for  when  the  king  of  Par- 
thia  called  himself,  in  his  letters,  "  King  of 
Kings,"  the  emperor  simply  wrote  his  name, 
Flavins  Vespasian. 


25%  TITUS. 


CHAPTER  LY. 

TITUS.    AGRICOLA.    DOMITIAN. 

Titus  succeeded  his  father,  and  became  em- 
peror A.  D.  79j  the  very  year  m  which  PUny 
lost  his  hfe,  and  the  cities  of  Pompeii  and 
Herculanenm  were  destroyed  by  an  eruption 
of  Yesuvius. 

It  has  been  said  of  Yespasian,  ''that  he 
was  a  man  in  whom  power  made  no  altera- 
tion, except  in  giving  him  the  opportunity  of 
doing  good ;  "  and  Titus  was  worthy  of  being 
the  son  of  so  excellent  a  father. 

It  is  related  of  Titus,  that,  one  evening,  he 
broke  forth  into  the  following  lamentation  — 
"  I  have  lost  a  day  !  "  because  he  had  passed 
the  day  without  performing  any  service  to  his 
fellow-creatures.  This  exclamation  ought  to 
be  continually  in  our  thoughts.  The  mean- 
est, the  weakest,  the  poorest  of  us  can  please 
or  oblige  some  friend,  or  relative,  or  neighbor,  j 
every  day  of  our  life ;  and  we  ought,  like  ** 
Titus,  to  call  that  day  lost  in  which  we  have 
not  given  some  pleasure  to,  or  bestowed  some 
benefit  on,  a  human  being. 

I  am  sorry  to  say  that  the  most  virtuous 
persons  do  not  escape  censure  and  reprobation. 
It  would  be  wise,  therefore,  for  us  to  take 
another   maxim   from   Titus.     Whenever  he   i 


TITUS.        AGRICOLA.  253 

ras  undeservedly  scandalized,  he  would  say, 
Whilst  I  do  nothing  worthy  of  reproach,  I 
eed  not  be  grieved  that  I  am  censured." 
But  perhaps  the  most  meritorious  of  his  ae- 
ons was  the  self-control  and  self-denial  with 
'hich  he  acted  in  a  very  trying  situation. 
He  had  long  loved  a  beautiful  and  accom- 
lished  woman,  Berenice,  sister  to  Agrippa, 
ing  of  Judea;  Berenice  also  loved  him  ten- 
3rly ;  but  Titus  soon  found  that  the  Romans 
ere  desirous  he  should  not  marry  her ;  in 
)ite,  therefore,  of  her  tears  and  blandish- 
ents,  in  spite  of  his  own  fondness  and  at- 
chment,  he  sent  her  from  him,  and  denied 
mself  the  happiness  of  making  her  his  wife, 
emember  that,  when  Titus  performed  this 
iroic  action,  he  was  a  powerful  sovereign, 
at  he  was  in  love,  and  had  nothing  but  his 
nscience  to  govern  him. 
.  It  was  about  this  time  that  Agricola,  the 
nous  Roman  general,  made  extensive  con- 
ests  in  Britain.  The  daughter  of  this  brave 
icer  married  Tacitus,  the  celebrated  histo- 
;  n,  who  has  written  an  interesting  account  of 
;ricola.  Agricola  conquered  part  of  Wales, 
;d  made  himself  master  of  Mona,  now  called 
3  island  of  Anglesea ;  he  also  marched  into 
vledonia,  (Scotland,)  and  defeated  the  na- 
'•es,  collected  under  their  chief,  Galgacus. 
•Jer  extending  the  power  of  the  Roman 
•,  pire,  he  employed  himself  in  refining  and 
22 


254  AGRICOLA.       DOMITIAN. 

instructing  the  people  he  had  subdued  In-i 
deed  the  Romans  are  greatly  applauded  lori 
always  pursuing  this  course,  and  carrying] 
knowledge  and  civiUzation,  with  conquest,; 
among  the  barbarous  nations.  Agricola  built 
several  forts  in  Scotland,  and  not  only  erected 
houses  and  temples  himself,  but  urged  the; 
Britons  to  do  so  for  themselves. 

Agricola  was  recalled  from  Britain  by  Do^ 
mitian  ;  and  it  is  said  he  was  poisoned  by 
that  wicked  wretch.  When  I  tell  you  i 
is  supposed  that  Domitian  caused  the  deatl 
of  his  brother  Titus,  you  will  not  wonder  a 
any  other  crime  he  perpetrated.  After  a  hap 
py  and  prosperous  reign  of  little  more  thai 
two  years'  continuance,  Titus  sickened  au< 
died  He  left  behind  him  an  enviable  chai 
arter,  and  was  distinguished  by  the  epithet  o 
'^  The  delight  of  human  kind." 

What  shall  T  tell  you  of  Domitian  ?  ^^m 
but  that  he  succeeded  his  brother,  and  was  ij 
all  things  unhke  him.  He  persecuted  th 
Christians ;  he  was  cruel,  hypocritical,  pertic 
iou.  He  once  invited  a  large  party,  as  tor  a 
entertainment,  and  had  them  ushered  into 
room  hung  with  black,  with  on  y  just  ; 
many  lights  as  would  disclose  the  horrors  c 
the  scene.  Black  coffins,  bearing  the  nam 
of  the  guests,  were  arranged  around;  and  ni 
eous-looking  men,  bearing  torches  and  nak. 
swords,   rushed    into    the   apartment.       i 


DOMITIAN.  255 

arty,  knowing  the  ferocious  temper  of  the 
uperor,  of  course  expected  instant  death, 
id  were  struck  with  horror.  Domitian  long 
ijoyed  their  dismay,  and,  when  tired  of  the 
icked  pleasure  of  beholding  misery,  he  sent 
•ders  for  his  alarmed  guests  to  return  to  their 
3uses. 

They  all  indeed  escaped  without  bodily 
art ;  but  how  severe  must  have  been  their 
ental  sufferings  !  How  must  that  mind  be 
instituted  that  could  find  delight  in  creating 
lid  beholding  wretchedness ! 

Domitian  was  murdered  A.  D.  96.  His 
!ime  is  indeed  recorded  in  history,  because 
]!  was  a  public  character,  because  he  was  an 
iperor  of  Rome ;  but  for  what  else  is  he 
lebrated  ?     For  his  vices  !  — How  is  he  re- 

embered  ?     With  detestation  ! 

Agricola,  the  beneficent  ruler  of  Britain,  is 

lebrated  not  for  his  rank,  but  for  his  ac- 
;)ns ;    is   remembered   not  with   horror,  but 

ith  respect.     Let   us  be   thankful   that   we 

n  all  of  us  deserve,  if  we  do  not  receive,  the 
f teem  bestowed  on  Agricola ;  for  we  can  all 
i  useful  and  virtuous  in  our  stations.     The 

ik  of  Domitian  was  his  misfortune  ;  it  gave 
lore  license   to   his  wicked  temper,  it  gave 

ore   publicity  to  his   wicked   actions.      He 

5graced   his  title  —  Agricola  gave  credit  to 

5  humbler  name. 


256  NERVA. 

CHAPTER   LYL 

NERVA.  TRAJAN.  PLUTARCH.  ADRIAN. 

Whilst  Rome  Avas  falling  into  luxury  and 
licentiousness,  the  various  countries  under  her 
dominion  were  rising  into  refinement  and 
information ;  Great  Britain,  Germany,  and 
Gaul,  were  especially  advancing  in  learning 
and  civilization :  so  that  the  Romans  bestowed 
on  the  countries  they  conquered  benefits  fully 
equal  to  the  worth  of  the  tributes  and  the 
authority  they  claimed.  Some  of  these  coun- 
tries occasionally  made  efforts  to  recover  their 
liberty  ;  and,  though  these  efforts  failed,  they 
bespoke  the  unconquered  spirit  of  the  nationSj 
and  by  teaching  them  the  art  of  war,  led  to 
their  ultimate  liberation. 

Domitiaii  took  the  surname  of  Germanicus, 
because  one  of  his  generals  had  subdued  a 
revolt  of  the  Germans  ;  although  he  had  not 
himself  even  seen  the  enemy,  having  only 
marched  an  army  out  of  Rome  and  marched 
it  back  again. 

After  the  murder  of  Domitian,  the  senate 
chose  Nerva  for  their  emperor.  Nerva  was  an 
old  but  virtuous  man ;  his  disposition  was  too 
gentle  for  the  Romans  at  that  time.  You 
have  seen  that  they  were  becoming  luxurious 
and  insolent,  and  needed  restraint  more  thar 


TRAJAN.  257 

indulgence.  Without  firmness,  you  know, 
there  can  be  no  virtue  ;  for  it  is  of  little  avail 
that  we  think  and  feel  rightly,  if  we  have  not 
firmness  to  express  our  thoughts,  and  to  act 
according  to  our  feelings.  Thus  it  happened 
that,  with  the  best  intentions,  Nerva  performed 
no  services  to  his  country  ;  and  he  died  of  a 
fever,  after  a  short  reign  of  little  more  than 
twelve  months. 

Trajan  was  chosen  by  Nerva  to  succeed 
him ;  and  this  choice  was  perhaps  the  only, 
as  it  was  certainly  the  highest,  benefit  he 
conferred  on  his  subjects.  Trajan  was  great 
as  a  general,  wise  as  a  sovereign,  good  as  a 
man.  He  conquered  many  foreign  nations ; 
yet,  on  his  return  to  Rome,  he  entered  it 
without  pomp  or  noise.  He  refused  a  public 
triumph  —  a  refusal  which  assured  to  him  the 
'silent  and  heartfelt  applause  of  all  men.  In 
passing  through  conquered  countries,  he  nei- 
ther taxed  nor  ravaged  them  ;  and  seemed 
always  more  intent  on  bestowing  happiness 
than  in  asserting  authority. 

Plutarch,  the  charming  biographer,  who  has 
written  so  many  amusing  histories  of  great 
men,  was  the  tutor,  or  preceptor,  of  Trajan. 
Plutarch  was  a  Greek  philosopher,  and  not 
much  older  than  his  pupil.  It  is  mentioned 
of  Plutarch,  that  he  would  never  punish  any 
one  when  he  was  in  a  passion,  because  he 
thought  he  should  then  punish  unwisely  and 
unjustly ;  and  he  once  said  to  a  slave,  who 
22*  "  ■ 


258  PLUTARCH. 

had  greatly  provoked  him,  ^'  I  will  not  beat 
you  now,  because  I  am  angry."  We  can  all 
understand  the  good  sense  and  humanity  of 
such  conduct,  for  we  can  all  understand  how 
differently  we  judge  when  we  are  enraged  and 
when  we  are  calm.  When  Trajan  became 
emperor,  Plutarch  wrote  him  a  delightful  let- 
ter, which  it  would  much  please  you  to  read ; 
ask  your  friends  to  show  it  to  you,  or  you 
can  find  it  for  yourselves  in  the  Life  of  Plu- 
tarch, attached  to  his  Biography  of  celebrated 
men. 

Many  are  the  interesting  anecdotes  record- 
ed of  Trajan  ;  there  is  one  that  particularly 
denotes  his  liberal  mode  of  thinking.  When 
presenting  a  sword  to  an  officer,  the  preefect 
of  the  praetorian  bands,  he  said,  ''  If  I  do 
well,  use  this  sword /or  me;  if  I  do  ill,  use 
this  sword  against  me." 

He  built  a  bridge  across  the  River  Danube. 
Look  for  it  in  the  map.  He  had  ambassadors 
from  India  to  congratulate  him.  He  shoAved 
his  confidence  in  his  friend  Sura,  just  as  Alex- 
ander had  shown  it  towards  his  physician 
Philip.  You  must  peruse  the  story  in  Gold- 
smith's History  of  Borne,  some  day. 

A  subject  of  this  excellent  master  showed 
as  much  greatness  of  mind  as  his  sovereign. 
Longinus,  a  Roman  general,  had  been  taken 
])risoner  by  the  Dacians.  Their  king,  Deceb- 
alus,  said  he  would  kill  his  captive,  if  Trajan 
W9uld  not  por^tsei^t  to  terms  of  p^ace .     Trajan 


TRAJAN. 


25a 


replied,  that  the  life  of  an  individual  must 
not  be  set  against  the  welfare  of  a  whole 
people,  and  refused  the  demanded  treaty  ;  and 
Longinus  killed  himself,  that  he  might  no 
longer  be  a  cause  of  dispute. 

I  told  you  that  Trajan  persecuted  the  Chris- 
tians ;  but  he  afterwards  stopped  these  per- 
secutions, because  Pliny,  the  nephew  of  the 
naturalist,  being  governor  of  Bithynia,  wrote 
him  an  account  of  the  quiet  and  virtuous  be- 
havior of  the  Christians.  The  Jews  again 
broke  out  into  rebellion,  and  massacred  thou- 
sands of  their  fellow-creatures,  in  the  Island 
of  Cyprus,  and  other  places  where  they  re- 
sided ;   but  they  were  soon  subdued. 

Trajan  made  many  conquests  ;  but  it  is  not 
for  them  that  he  is  renowned.  The  Romans 
honored  his  memory,  because,  for  nearly  twen- 
ty years,  he  assured  their  domestic  prosperity. 
He  died  at  Seleucia,  of  apoplexy,  A.  D.  117. 

Adrian,  the  next  emperor,  was  a  nephew 
of  Trajan's,  and  of  a  Spanish  family.  When 
he  ascended  the  throne,  the  extent  of  the 
Roman  empire,  and  the  influence  of  the  Ro- 
man power,  were  at  their  greatest  height. 
•  Adrian  was  brave,  learned,  accomplished,  and 
amiable.  He  thought  the  empire  was  too 
vast,  and  therefore  gave  up  part  of  the  con- 
i  quests  of  Trajan.  He  visited  Germany,  Gaul, 
Holland,  Britain,  and  Spain.  He  erected  a 
strong  wall  of  mud  and  planks  between  Eng- 
land and  Scotland,  across  the  island,  to  pre- 


260  ADRIAN. 

vent  the  Picts,  and  other  northern  barbarians, 
from  disturbing  the  Britons. 

He  went  to  Athens,  where  he  long  resided, 
and  caused  himself  to  be  elected  archon  of 
that  celebrated  city.  He  crossed  over  to 
Africa,  and  rebuilt  Carthage,  naming  it  Adri- 
anople,  after  himself. 

He  softened  the  persecution  against  the 
Christians,  and  seemed  to  be  desirous  only 
of  dispensing  good.  The  Jews  rose  upon 
the  Christians  and  Romans  in  Judea,  putting 
numbers  of  them  to  death  ;  and  the  Romans 
retaliated  by  slaughtering  nearly  six  hundred 
thousand  of  that  outcast  race. 

Adrian  died,  after  a  painful  illness,  in  the 
twenty-second  year  of  his  reign,  A.  D.  138. 
Being  ignorant  of  the  blessed  hopes  inspired 
by  the  Christian  religion,  he  did  not  look 
forward  to  a  future  state  ;  and,  when  almost 
expiring,  uttered  the  following  lines.  I  give 
them  in  Latin,  as  a  pleasant  exercise  for  trans- 
lation. 

Jlnimida,  vagida,  hlandula, 

Hospes  comesque  corporis, 

Qu(B  nunc  abihis  in  loca, 

Pcdlidula,  rigida,  nudula, 

JVec,  ut  soles,  dabis  jocos  ! 


ANTONINES.  261 

CHAPTER   LVII. 

THE  AGE   OF  THE  ANTONINES. 

The  period  of  which  I  am  going  to  speak, 
is  distinguished  as  "  the  Age  of  the  Anto- 
nines ;  "  that  is,  the  age  in  which  two  virtu- 
ous emperors  of  that  name  diffused  peace  and 
fehcity  over  the  world.  The  Romans  being 
now  masters  of  almost  every  inhabited  coun- 
try, the  conduct  of  their  rulers  decided  the 
fate  of  all  other  nations. 

Antoninus,  surnamed  the  Pious,  from  his 
extraordinary  merit,  was  chosen  by  Adrian  to 
succeed  him.  He  protected  the  Christians, 
declaring  his  resolution  not  to  allow  any  sect 
to  be  harassed  on  account  of  its  religion. 
He  was  so  generous,  that,  to  relieve  want 
and  poverty,  he  gave  away  even  his  private 
property,  observing,  that,  when  he  became  a 
public  character,  he  ought  to  have  no  private 
interests  or  possessions :  he  was  mild,  yet 
firm ;  polished,  yet  not  luxurious. 

The  power  of  Rome  was  now  spread  over 
a  large  portion  of  Europe  and  great  part  of 
Asia  and  Africa.  The  Chinese,  indeed,  lived 
undisturbed,  except  by  domestic  broils,  and 
were  at  this  time  in  a  high  state  of  civiliza- 
tion :  the  petty  princes  occasionally  quarrelled 
among  themselves;  but  they  never  invaded 


262  THE    AGE    OF    THE    ANTONINES. 

foreign  nations  ;  nor  did  foreign  nations  invade 
them.  The  Tatars,  commonly  called  Tartars, 
their  neighbors,  were  their  only  foes ;  and,  to 
keep  them  out  of  China,  the  ancient  mode  of 
defence,  that  of  raising  a  wall,  was  adopted  ; 
this  celebrated  wall,  though  partially  built  at 
an  earlier  period,  was  not  completed  until 
B.   C.   214. 

The  Chinese  pretend  to  trace  back  their 
history  to  a  very  ancient  date.  The  princes, 
or  kings,  of  the  small  principalities,  seem  to 
have  early  been  ruled  by  one  great  chief,  or 
emperor. 

It  has  been  said  that  the  game  of  chess  was 
invented,  many  years  before  the  Christian  era, 
by  a  Chinese  general,  to  amuse  his  troops 
during  a  long  cessation  of  arms. 

Pray,  bear  in  mind,  that,  whilst  Rome  was 
flourishing  as  queen  of  the  European  na- 
tions, the  Chinese  were  existing  in  a  state  of 
wealth  and  refinement,  and  governing  a  very 
large  portion  of  Asia :  it  is,  however,  gen- 
erally thought  that  their  knowledge  was  by 
no  means  equal  to  what  they  pretend  it  to 
have  been. 

The  tribes  of  India  were  also  at  this  time 
an  ingenious  people,  and  traced  their  origin  to 
the  highest  antiquity.  You  remember  that 
Sesostris  had  invaded  some  part  of  India ;  and 
that  Alexander  the  Great  had  also  visited  the 
shores  of  the  Ganges,  and  conquered  Porus, 
an  Indian  king ;  but  these  people  continued 


THE    AGE    OF    THE    ANTONINES.  263 

to  be  governed  by  their  own  princes,  and  to 
enjoy  their  peculiar  laws,  customs,  and  reli- 
gion. Some  of  their  princes,  as  I  have  already 
mentioned,  sent  ambassadors  to  Rome,  to  offer 
congratulations  to  Trajan  ;  thus  China  and 
India  were  almost  as  civilized  and  as  learned 
in  the  age  of  the  Antonines  as  they  are  now. 
You  will  find  the  history  of  those  nations 
singularly  amusing  ;  and  as,  for  many  centu- 
ries, they  subsisted  apart  from  every  European 
country,  the  accounts  of  them  must  be  read  in 
a  separate  form,  as  they  do  not  mingle  with 
other  histories. 

But  to  return  to  Antoninus  Pins  ;  it  was  a 
favorite  saying  of  his,  that  he  had  "  more 
pleasure  in  saving  the  life  of  one  citizen, 
than  in  destroying  the  lives  of  a  thousand 
enemies."  The  conduct  of  this  most  excel- 
lent of  all  the  Roman  emperors  plainly  proves 
that  good  sovereigns  love  peace  better  than 
war,  and  that  nations  possess  most  comfort 
and  virtue  in  a  period  of  tranquillity.  War 
may  bring  conquests  and  renown,  but  seldom 
does  it  increase  national  prosperity.  Defen- 
sive war  is  necessary  and  honorable  ;  we  ought 
to  fight  to  protect  our  liberty  and  rights  ;  but 
to  fight  merely  for  conquest  and  glory  is 
never  necessary,  and  seldom  honorable. 

Antoninus,  according  to  the  wishes  of  Adri- 
an, had  adopted  Marcus  Aurelius  for  his  suc- 
cessor, and  married  him  to  his  youngest 
daughter,     Faustina.        This     good    emperor 


264  THE    AGE     OF    THE     ANTONINES. 

died  of  a  fever,  A.  D.  161,  after  twenty- three 
years'  peaceful  reign,  aged  75. 

Marcus  Aurelius  succeeded  his  father-in- 
law,  and  took  the  name  of  Antoninus.  He 
associated  his  brother  Lucius  Verus  in  the 
government  with  himself ;  but  Lucius  was  a 
most  unworthy  character,  and  disgmced  the 
Roman  name  wherever  he  went ;  fortunately, 
he  died  soon,  and  thus  Aurelius  became  sole 
emperor. 

He  was  so  learned,  that  he  is  called,  in  his- 
tory, Antoninus  Philosophus  :  and  he  wrote  a 
work,  entitled  Meditations,  which  contains 
much  excellent  advice.  He  sold  all  his  plate 
and  jewels  to  pay  the  expenses  of  a  warlike 
expedition,  rather  than  burden  his  subjects 
with  new  taxes ;  his  faults  -—  for  he  had 
faults  —  consisted  in  his  weak  indulgence  of 
his  vicious  brother,  his  worthless  wife,  and 
his  foolish  son.  He  was  also  apt  to  be  proud 
of  his  learning,  and  sometimes  fora:ave  faults 
which  ought  not  to  have  been  forgiven  ;  for 
it  is  the  duty  of  all  men,  more  especially  of 
kings  and  rulers,  to  check  vice  by  punishing 
It,  as  well  as  to  promote  virtue  by  reward- 
ing it. 

Avidus,  a  general  of  the  emperor's,  strove 
to  displace  him,  and  become  emperor  himself. 
Aurelius  declared  that  he  would  give  up  the 
empire  without  bloodshed,  if  his  abdication 
would  prove  beneficial  to  his  people ;  but 
Avidus  was  slain  bv  his  own  officers.      When 


THE    AGE    OF    THE    ANTONINES.  265 

his  head  was  brought  to  Aurelius,  he  ordered 
it  to  be  decently  buried,  and  behaved  with 
great  lenity  to  the  rest 'of  the  rebels.  When 
some  one  said,  Avidus  would  not  have  be- 
haved so  mercifully,  had  he  been  conqueror, 
Aurelius  simply  replied,  "  I  never  reigned  so 
carelessly,  nor  served  the  gods  so  ill,  as  to  fear 
that  Avidus  would  ever  be  the  conqueror." 

He  was  seized  with  the  plague  at  Vienna, 
and  died  in  the  fifty-ninth  year  of  his  age, 
after  a  glorious  reign  of  nineteen  years,  A.  D. 
180. 

He  left  a  son,  Commodus,  who  succeeded 
him  ;  and  desired  that  he  might  be  taught 
that  "  no  wealth  would  satisfy  a  tyrant,  and 
no  guards  defend  him ;  that  cruel  princes 
never  reign  long,  and  that  those  in  power 
must  govern  themselves,  because  they  have 
no  one  who  has  a  right  to  govern  them." 

Commodus  did  not  profit  either  by  his  fa- 
ther's example  or  his  father's  precepts.  He 
was  as  ignorant  and  contemptible  as  he  was 
vicious  and  cruel,  and  verified  his  father's 
words ;  for,  though  he  was  so  fearful  of  dan- 
ger that  he  shaved  himself,  lest  his  barber 
should  use  the  razor  to  cut  his  throat,  yet  was 
he  murdered  in  the  thirty-first  year  of  his  age, 
A.  D.  192.  Perhaps  some  of  the  faults  of 
Commodus  arose  from  his  father's  mildness 
and  indulgence.  It  is  the  duty  of  parents  to 
control  their  children  ;  and  those  children  who 
are  wisely  controlled,  turn  out  the  best  and 
23 


266  SARACENS. 

happiest  men  and  women.  Think  of  your- 
selves and  your  piay-fellows,  and  you  will 
plainly  see  that  pets  and  spoiled  children  are 
plagues  to  themselves  and  to  all  around  them. 


CHAPTER   LYIII. 

SARACENS.    GOTHS.    CELTS.    HUNS. 

You  have  already  been  told  that  the  empire 
of  Rome  was  in  its  most  flourishing  condition 
in  the  age  of  the  Antonines.  I  fear  you  will 
observe  that,  from  that  period,  it  gradually 
declined  in  power  and  prosperity. 

Commodus  was  a  worthless  emperor,  and 
was  followed  by  many  others  equally  worth- 
less. About  this  time  the  Saracens  are  first 
mentioned  in  history. 

I  dare  say  you  remember  reading  in  the 
Bible  that  Abraham  had  a  son,  named  Ish- 
mael,  who,  with  his  mother,  Hagar,  was  sent 
away,  and  almost  perished  in  the  desert.  I 
dare  say  you  also  remember  that  Joseph  was 
sold  by  his  brothers  to  some  Ishmaelites. 
These  Ishmaelites  were  the  descendants  of 
Ishmael,  and,  like  him,  were  wanderers  in 
the  desert.  The  Ishmaelites  were  also  called 
Arabs  ;  and  one  tribe  of  the  Arabs  was  dis- 
tinguished by  the  appellation  of  Saracens. 
Afterwards,  the  term  Saracen  became  the  com- 


PERTINAX.  267 

mon  name  for  almost  all  Arabs.  Look  for 
Arabia ;  you  will  find  it  bounded  on  one  side 
by  the  Red  Sea. 

The  Saracens  are  now  noticed  as  gaining 
some  advantages  over  the  Romans.  You  will 
hear  more  of  them  by  and  by. 

The  soldiers  placed  Pertinax,  a  man  of 
humble  birth,  on  the  throne,  as  the  successor 
to  Commodus.  The  history  of  Pertinax  is 
curious.  He  was  the  son  of  a  slave,  and 
kept  first  a  small  shop,  and  then  a  school ; 
next  he  studied  the  law,  and  afterwards  he 
became  a  soldier.  He  was  then  made  consul, 
as  a  reward  for  his  services;  but  was  banished 
by  Commodus.  Being  recalled,  he  was  sent 
to  Britain,  where,  in  a  battle,  he  was  left  for 
dead  on  the  field.  Again,  in  Africa,  his  life 
was  in  imminent  danger.  On  returning  to 
Rome,  he  devoted  himself  to  retirement,  until 
the  soldiers  fixed  upon  him  to  be  their  sove- 
reign. If  all  this  really  happened,  the  life 
of  Pertinax  would  give  materials  for  a  long 
and  amusing  story.  He  seems  to  have  risen 
to  rank  by  the  excellence  of  his  character, 
and  to  have  fallen  from  it  by  the  degeneracy 
of  the  Romans :  in  three  months,  the  same 
people  who  had  caused  his  elevation  also 
caused  his  death. 

He  was  massacred,  A.  D.  192 ;  and,  after 
his  death,  the  soldiers  put  up  the  empire  for 
sale.  This  is  very  strange,  but  very  true. 
Didius  Julianus  was  the  highest  bidder,  and 


2&B,  SEVERUS.       CARACALLA. 

was  consequently  proclaimed  emperor.  He 
was  quite  unworthy  of  this  high  honor,  and 
very  shortly  had  his  head  struck  ojff,  by  com- 
mand of  the  senators, 

Severus,  the  next  emperor,  was  elected  both 
by  the  army  and  the  senate,  A.  D.  193. 

Severus  besieged  and  took  Byzantium,  and 
cruelly  murdered  its  inhabitants.  Byzantium 
was  built  many  centuries  before  Christ.  Se- 
verus also  visited  Britain,  and  built  a  stone 
wall  to  defend  the  Britons  from  the  inroads 
of  the  Caledonians.  This  wall  crosses  the 
island  from  the  German  Ocean  to  the  Sol  way 
Frith,  and  is  still  known  by  the  name  of 
''  Severus's  wall."  He  died  at  York,  from 
grief  at  the  wicked  conduct  of  his  son  Cara- 
calla,  A.  D.  211. 

The  Caledonians  were  converted  to  Chris- 
tianity about  this  time  ;  and  near  York  may 
be  seen  two  mounds,  or  rather  hills,  called 
''  Severus's  hills,"  which  are  supposed  to  have 
been  raised  either  over  the  bodies  of  soldiers 
slain  in  battle,  or  as  monuments  to  the  honor 
of  Severus.  The  country  adjacent  being  very 
flat,  there  is  no  doubt  that  these  hills  were 
artificially  formed.  I  have  often  looked  upon 
them  with  pleasure. 

Caracalla  succeeded  his  father  Severus. 
When  I  tell  ;^ou  that  he  murdered  his  young- 
er brother  Geta,  in  the  arms  of  his  mother, 
you  will  desire  to  hear  no  more  of  this  mon- 
ster.    After  a  cruel  reign  of  six  years,  he  was 


MACRINUS.   GOTHS.   CELTS.       269 

Stabbed  in  the  back  by  a  soldier,  and  died  as 
ingloriously  as  he  had  lived,  A.  D.  217. 

Macrinus  succeeded  Caracalla,  and  was  al- 
most equally  worthless.  He  was  murdered, 
after  a  reign  of  little  more  than  a  year ;  and 
the  soldiers  made  Heliogabalus,  a  boy  of  four- 
teen, their  emperor.  I  have  not  patience  to 
tell  you  of  the  excesses  of  this  weak  and  mis- 
erable emperor.  Like  many  of  the  others,  he 
was  also  killed  by  the  soldiers,  in  the  fourth 
year  of  his  reign,  A.  D.  222. 

I  turn  from  the  disgusting  history  of  the 
degenerate  Romans,  to  inform  you  of  a  people 
called  Goths,  who,  about  this  time,  became 
tributary  to  Rome.  Fourteen  hundred  years 
before  Christ,  a  barbarous  people,  called  Goths, 
or  Scythians,  came  from  the  north,  and,  cross- 
ing the  Araxes,  a  river  that  falls  into  the  Cas- 
pian Sea,  overran  many  countries  of  Europe, 
Do  not  confuse  these  people  with  the  Celts  ,'. 
for  the  Celts  are  said  to  have  come  from  the 
neighborhood  of  the  Pyrenees.  The  Pyrenees 
are  mountains  that  divide  Spain  from  Gaul. 
About  B.  C.  500,  the  Gotlis  drove  the  Celts 
into  Gaul,  where  Caesar  found  them.  Tribes 
of  the  Celts  peopled  part  of  Scotland,  Ireland, 
and  Wales.  They  were  remarkable  for  their 
Druids.  The  Druids  were  at  the  same  time 
priests  and  chief  governors,  and  were  gene- 
rally very  learned  men.  The  Goths  had  not 
any  Druids.  The  Gothic  and  Celtic  lan- 
23* 


270  ALEXANDER. 

guages  differed  greatly  ;  in  short,  these  were 
distinct  people ;  and  the  Huns,  of  whom  we 
shall  presently  hear  much,  were  another  bar- 
barous race,  who  originally  came  from  Tar- 
tary. 


CHAPTER   LIX. 

ZENOBIA.    FRANKS.    FINGAL. 

After  so  many  bad  emperors,  it  is  refresh- 
ing to  meet  with  a  good  one.  Alexander,  the 
successor  of  Heliogabalns,  was  a  mild  and 
sensible  prince  ;  but  the  Roman  nation  was  no 
longer  capable  of  appreciating  merit,  or  worthy 
of  possessing  it.  Although  their  prince  gained 
many  victories,  and  caused  much  reformation 
in  the  abuses  induced  by  former  emperors ; 
although  he  was  temperate,  gentle,  and  ac- 
complished ;  yet  he  was  murdered  by  the 
soldiers,  in  the  thirteenth  year  of  his  reign, 
A.  D.  235.  Alexander  was  fortunate  in  hav- 
ing a  wise  aud  virtuous  woman  for  his  mother. 
How  much  depends  on  the  treatment  chil- 
dren receive  from  their  parents  !  Commodus 
had  a  wicked  mother,  the  worthless  Faustina, 
and  a  too  indulgent  father.  Mammasa,  the 
mother  of  Alexander,  was  a  woman  of  sense 
and  merit.     To   her    he    probably  owed  the 


MAXIMINUS.  271 

virtuous  habits  that  signalized  his  reign,  for 
he  was  only  sixteen  when  he  ascended  the 
throne. 

It  was  one  of  the  maxims  of  Alexander, 
"that  he  who  bought  power  would  think 
himself  entitled  to  sell  it ;  "  and  therefore  he 
would  never  allow  the  sale  of  places  and 
offices. 

Maximinus,  the  general  who  had  instigated 
the  soldiers  to  kill  Alexander,  was  chosen  by 
them  to  succeed  him,  A.  D.  235.  He  was 
remarkable  —  for  what  ?  The  excess  of  his 
vices,  and  the  gigantic  size  of  his  body. 
Maximinus  was  eight  feet  and  a  half  high, 
and  so  strong  that  he  could  draw  a  carriage 
which  two  oxen  could  not  move.*  He  could 
eat  forty  pounds  of  meat  every  day,  and  drink 
six  gallons  of  wine  without  being  intoxicated. 
But  as  I  can  hear  of  no  good  action  he  per- 
formed, or  wise  saying  he  uttered,  I  shall 
only  tell  you  that  the  soldiers  massacred  him, 
A.  D.  238.  The  emperors  who  succeeded 
him  are  so  worthless  that  I  cannot  write  about 
them.  Their  names  you  will  see  in  the 
Table. 

As  Rome  became  feeble  and  vicious,  the 
barbarians  began  to  assert  their  rights,  and 
shake  off  the  yoke  of  their  conquerors.  The 
German  tribes  were  frequently  revolting. 
The  Gauls  and  Britons  now  and  then  made 

Goldsmith, 


272 


CLAUDIUS    II. 


efforts  against  their  governors.  Above  all, 
the  Goths  were  perpetually  rushing  down  in 
swarms  upon  some  province  or  other  of  this 
vast  empire. 

Claudius  II.,  a  brave  and  virtuous  emperor, 
successfully  opposed  these  barbarians  ;  they 
had  ravaged  Macedonia  and  Greece,  and  even 
greatly  injured  Athens.  As  the  Romans  were 
more  formed  for  arms  than  arts,  they  had  re- 
sorted to  Athens  to  acquire  the  politer  accom- 
plishments ;  but  the  Goths  had  no  respect 
for  learning  and  taste,  and  were  always  care- 
less how  much  they  injured  books,  sculpture, 
and  paintings  ;  for  this  reason,  you  know,  it 
is,  even  in  our  days,  a  common  expression  to 
call  rude,  unlettered  persons,  Goths  and  Yan- 
dals. 


ZENOBIA.       FRANKS.       FINGAL.  273 

Zenobia,  queen  of  Palmyra,  sometimes 
called  Q,ueen  of  the  East,  was  a  woman  of 
singular  spirit  and  resolution.  Palmyra  was 
a  magnificent  city  of  Syria,  the  ruins  of  which 
are  yet  visible,  and  mark  the  splendor  of  its 
original  state. 

Zenobia,  after  many  valorous  enterprises, 
was  finally  conquered  by  the  Emperor  Aure- 
lian  ;  the  city  of  Palmyra  submitted  to  his 
power  ;  and,  after  the  captive  queen  had  graced 
his  triumph,  she  was  permitted  to  live  in  com- 
fort and  privacy. 

About  this  time,  many  small  tribes  of  Ger- 
many united  themselves,  under  the  name  of 
Franks^  or  Freemen^  and  began  to  make  in- 
roads on  the  Germans,  and  to  offer  resistance 
to  the  Romans.  These  Franks  afterwards 
conquered  Gaul,  and  gave  the  name  of  France 
to  that  fine  country. 

Just  before  Diocletian  became  emperor  of 
Rome,  the  Romans  had  sent  an  embassy  to 
China,  which  was  then  a  vast  and  flourishing 
empire.  But,  although  the  Romans  seem  to 
have  been  as  ambitious  as  ever,  their  power 
was  evidently  on  the  decline,  and  was  now 
much  shaken  by  the  inroads  of  the  barbarous 
nations,  and  the  revolts  of  subjugated  prov- 
inces. 

Fingal,  king  of  Morven,  died  about  this 
time.  You  will  one  day  read  with  great  de- 
light some  charming  poems  that  describe  his 
actions:  they  are  called  Ossiari's  Poems^  as 


274  DIOCLETIAN. 

it  was  pretended  they  were  written  by  Ossian. 
But  it  is  generally  believed  that  they  were 
chiefly  the  composition  of  Mr.  Macpherson, 
the  gentleman  who  published  them  :  whoever 
might  be  their  author,  the  Poems  of  Ossian 
must  always  be  read  with  delight.  The, 
north-east  coast  of  Scotland,  it  is  supposed, 
was  anciently  called  Morven.  Morven  signi- 
fies a  ridge  of  high  hills.  The  Caracul 
mentioned  in  these  poems  is  Caracalla,  son  of 
Severus  :  and  Severus  himself  is  denominated 
''King  of  the  World." 


CHAPTER    LX. 

DIOCLETIAN.    COxNSTANTIUS.    OSSIAN. 

We  are  now  come  to  the  year  284  after 
Christ,  when  Diocletian  was  chosen  emperor 
of  Rome. 

Pray,  now,  pause  and  observe  three  things: 
First,  that,  in  spite  of  persecution,  the  Chris- 
tian religion  was  rapidly  gaining  ground : 
Secondly,  that  the  Roman  empire,  having 
become  too  vast  to  subsist  as  one  government, 
was  gradually  becoming  weaker  and  diminish- 
ing :  Thirdly,  that  the  several  kingdoms  of 
Europe  were  advancing  in  refinement  and 
power.  We  have  seen  that  China  and  India 
both  attained  a  high  degree  of  civilization  in 


DIOCLETIAN.  275 

very  early  times.  Egypt  was  next  enlight- 
ened, then  Greece,  and  lastly  Rome.  From 
Italy  knowledge  and  politeness  spread  over 
Europe ;  and  we  shall  see  that  in  modern 
times  they  have  been  wafted  to  America, — 
the  light  of  the  mind,  like  the  light  of  the 
sun,  travelling  from  east  to  west. 

It  is  pleasant  to  stop  sometimes,  and,  turn- 
ing from  war  and  policy,  to  give  up  our 
thoughts  to  the  contemplation  of  the  progress 
of  improvement  in  the  minds  and  manners 
of  different  nations.  I  hope  you  will  do  so 
often. 

Diocletian,  finding  the  empire  too  extended 
for  him  to  govern  alone,  selected  Maximian 
as  his  associate  in  power.  These  two  friends 
lived  very  amicably  together,  ably  supporting 
the  dignity  of  Rome,  and  bravely  opposing 
her  numerous  enemies.  After  some  years' 
skilful  government,  they  both  resigned  their 
dignities,  A.  D.  304.  Diocletian  lived  in 
peaceful  retirement,  cultivating  his  garden, 
and  confessing  himself  more  happy  in  his 
humble  than  in  his  elevated  station.  Max- 
imian, being  of  a  less  amiable  disposition, 
strove  to  regain  his  authority,  and,  being  oth- 
erwise turbulent,  was  compelled  to  destroy 
himself. 

Constantius  and  Galerius  had  been  elected 
Cs3sars  by  the  former  emperors,  as  the  first 
step  to  higher  dignity  ;  and,  on  the  abdication 


276  CONSTANTTUS    I. 

of  Diocletian   and   Maximian,   they  became 

joint  emperors. 

Constantius  came  over  to  Britain,  and  re- 
sided at  York.  In  that  fine  city  he  was  taken 
ill,  and  there  he  died,  after  having  named  his 
son  Constantine  for  his  successor,  A.  D.  306. 
Galerius  and  others  sought  to  prevent  the  ac- 
cession of  Constantine  ;  but,  Galerius  dying 
shortly  of  a  severe  disease,  Constantine  in  a 
few  months  contrived  to  make  himself  sole 
emperor  of  Rome  ;  and,  for  his  many  good 
quaHties  and  heroic  actions,  he  has  been  de- 
nominated Constantine  the  Great. 

When  Diocletian  was  on  the  throne,  Carau- 
sius,  an  active  naval  officer,  made  himself 
sovereign  of  Britain,  and  had  reigned  there 
with  great  abihty  for  about  seven  years,  when 
he  was  murdered  by  Alectus,  his  pretended 
friend,  who  assumed  the  dignity  of  which  he 
had  deprived  Carausius,  A.  D.  293.  But  Con- 
stantius conquered  and  killed  the  usurper,  in 
296,  and  was  welcomed  as  the  friend  of 
Britain,  because  he  saved  London  from  being 
pillaged  by  the  Gauls  and  Saxons,  who  were 
in  the  service  of  Alectus.  It  seems  that 
Britain  had  now  a  fleet  and  cities.  The  cities 
of  York  and  London  were  built,  and  probably 
many  others. 

The  natives  were  beginning  to  learn  the  arts 
of  life  from  their  conquerors,  the  Romans. 

OssiaUj  the  son  of  Fingal,  flourished  about 


CONSTANTINE    THE    GREAT.  277 

this  time,  A.  D.  312.  I  have  already  said 
that  his  name  has  been  affixed  to  some  beau- 
tiful poems. 

The  Britons  had  learnt  to  make  wines, 
A.  D.  276  ;  and  were,  I  dare  say,  as  much 
more  polished  from  what  they  had  originally 
been,  as  they  are  now  from  what  they  were 
then. 


CHAPTER   LXI. 

CONSTANTINE  THE   GREAT. 

CoNSTANTiNE  THE  Great  must  havo  a  chap- 
ter to  himself.  He  early  showed  a  regard  for 
the  Christian  religion  ;  and  when  he  assumed 
the  purple,  that  is,  when  he  became  emperor, 
he  raised  the  insulted  Christians  from  their 
persecuted  condition.  He  not  only  professed 
Christianity  himself,  but  also  recommended 
its  adoption  to  his  subjects ;  and,  without 
acting  with  severity  towards  the  ancient  re- 
ligion of  Rome,  he  effectually  promoted  the 
interests  of  Christianity.  He  called  an  assem- 
bly of  bishops  and  other  churchmen,  to  assist 
in  the  establishment  of  the  Christian  religion 
in  a  pure  form.  This  was  called  "  the  Coun- 
cil of  Nice."  Nice  was  a  city  in  Bithynia; 
and  Bithynia  was  in  Asia  Minor,  and  is  now 
24 


278  CONSTANTINE    THE    GREAT. 

called  Natolia.  Athanasins  attended  this 
council.  The  Creed,  or  Belief,  that  bears 
his  name,  as  the  Athanasiari  Creed,  was, 
howe\^er,  not  written  by  him,  but  composed 
znany  years  after  his  death.  The  Nicene 
Creed  was  the  one  produced  at  Nice,  and  de 
rives  its  name  from  that  place. 

I  told  you  that  St.  Peter  is  called  the  first 
pope  of  Rome,  although  it  is  believed  he 
never  visited  that  city.  Yet  all  popes  call 
themselves  the  successors  of  St.  Peter.  The 
bishop  of  Rome,  when  he  took  the  name  and 
office  of  pope,  deemed  himself  the  head  of  the 
church,  and  claimed  extensive  influence  and 
aiuhority. 

Christianity  is  said  to  have  been  introduced 
into  Britain  A.  D.  60  ;  and  the  profession  of  iU 
by  Constantino  more  widely  and  firmly  dif- 
fused it  through  that  island. 

Constantino,  having  conquered  his  foreign 
foes,  devoted  himself  to  govern  the  empire 
wisely  and  beneficently.  Fourteen  years  of 
undisturbed  peace  proved  his  able  administra- 
tion. But,  prosperous  as  was  his  public  career, 
his  private  life  was  darkened  with  sorrows,  if 
not  stained  with  crimes. 

By  his  first  wife,  Minervena,  he  had  a  son, 
Crispus,  a  youth  of  extraordinary  promise  — 
brave,  polished,  and  dutiful.  You  will  be 
shocked  to  hear  that  this  interesting  young 
man  was  put  to  death,  in  the  bloom  of  life, 
by  the  command  of  his  father.     This  strange 


CONSTANTINE    THE    GREAT.  279 

aifair  is  variously  accounted  for ;  the  most 
probable  explanation  is  the  following :  Con- 
stantino's second  wife,  Fausta,  had  many- 
children,  and,  probably,  desirous  of  securing 
the  succession  to  her  own  sons,  she  irritated 
her  husband  with  falsehoods  respecting  the 
guiltless  and  amiable  Crispus.  It  seems  that, 
when  too  late,  Constantino  discovered  the 
injustice  he  had  committed,  and  bitterly  la- 
mented his  rashness  and  cruelty. 

The  Roman  people  were  enraged  at  the 
loss  of  their  favorite  prince,  and  long  and 
loudly  murmured  at  his  fate.  Constantino, 
perhaps  wounded  by  these  complaints,  or  no 
longer  at  ease  in  a  place  that  reminded  him 
of  his  lost  child,  removed  the  seat  of  empire 
to  Byzantium,  where  he  erected  a  splendid 
city,  and  named  it  from  himself,  Constantino- 
ple. The  court,  of  course,  accompanied  the 
emperor ;  and  thus  the  new  city  rapidly  in- 
creased in  extent  and  magnificence. 

It  is  thought  that  this  removal  of  the  court 
to  Constantinople  gave  the  finishing  stroke  to 
the  downfall  of  Rome ;  from  that  period,  "  the 
Queen  of  Cities"  lost  her  right  to  that  title, 
and  the  Roman  empire  began  to  shake  to  its 
foundation.  As  this  event  produced  very  im- 
portant consequences,  it  will  be  useful  for  you 
to  remember  when  it  took  place. 

Famed  Rome  was  deserted  by  Constantino, 
In  the  year  three  hundred  and  twenty-nine. 


280  CONSTANTINE    THE    GREAT. 

This  rude  couplet  will  perhaps  assist  you  to 
remember  the  date  it  records. 

The  Goths  immediately  took  advantage  of 
the  removal  of  the  emperor,  and  rushed  down 
upon  the  Roman  provinces ;  nor  were  they 
driven  back  till  they  had  ravaged  and  laid 
waste  a  large  tract  of  country. 

Once  more  at  peace,  the  emperor  divided 
his  immense  empire  between  his  three  sons ; 
and  this  division  contributed  still  further  to 
hasten  the  decline  of  the  Roman  power. 
Constantine  at  length  began  to  find  the  ap- 
proaches of  a  disorder  which  soon  terminated^ 
his  life.  ^He  therefore  gave  the  last  testimony 
of  his  religious  belief,  and  was  baptized  at' 
Nicomedia.  Soon  after,  he  received  the  holy 
sacram.ent,  and  expired  at  an  advanced  age, 
after  a  glorious  reign  of  nearly  thirty-one 
years,  A.  D.  337. 

At  this  era,  instead  of  being  distinguished 
according  to  virtue  and  talents,  the  Romans 
valued  each  other  according  to  their  rank  and 
wealth.  Excellent  roads  were  constructed, 
and  regular  couriers  established.  Torture  was 
used  to  compel  criminals  to  confession  ;  and 
numerous  taxes  were  levied  on  merchandise 
and  manufactures  by  the  sole  authority  of  the 
emperor. 

Such  was  Rome  in  the  time  of  Constantine' 
the  Great. 


CONSTANTIUS    11.       JULIAN,  281 

CHAPTER   LXIL 

CONSTANTIUS.    JULIAN. 

CoNSTANTiNE  THE  Great  was  loiig  and  deep- 
ly regretted  ;  his  dead  body,  for  some  time, 
was  treated  with  as  much  respect  and  atten- 
tion as  if  the  emperor  had  been  still  alive ; 
and  the  courtiers  approached  it  with  bended 
knees  :  hence  it  has  been  said  that  Constan- 
tine  continued  to  reign  after  his  death. 

He  had  directed  that  his  three  sons  and 
two  nephews  should  be  his  successors ;  but 
Constantius,  the  youngest  of  the  three  elected 
brothers,  contrived  to  get  rid  of  his  competi- 
tors, and  thus  became  sole  emperor. 

Sapor,  king  of  the  eastern  part  of  Persia,  a 
warlike  prince,  engaged  the  Romans  in  many 
battles,  and  completely  routed  them  at  Singa- 
ra.  The  son  of  Sapor  was,  however,  taken 
prisoner  by  Constantius,  and,  I  am  sorry  to  add, 
cruelly  put  to  death.  Constantius  died  of  a 
fever  in  a  small  town  near  Tarsus,  A.  D.  361. 

Julian,  the  youngest  nephew  of  Constan- 
tine,  had  been  declared  emperor  by  his  army  ; 
and,  on  the  death  of  his  cousin,  he  hastened 
to  Constantinople,  and  was  universally  ac- 
knowledged sole  sovereign. 

Julian  had  received  a  very  learned  educa- 
24* 


282  JULIAN. 

tion  at  Athens,  whither  he  had  been  sent  by 
the  jealous  Constantius,  who  had  once  kept 
him  a  captive,  and  either  caused  or  consented 
to  the  death  of  ail  his  family.  Julian,  how- 
ever, was  intrusted  with  high  military  com- 
mand, and  worthily  upheld  the  fame  of  his 
country. 

He  preserved  Gaul  from  the  hands  of  the 
barbarians,  and  spent  some  time  in  Paris. 
This  now  fine  city  was  at  that  time  a  small 
place,  having  two  wooden  bridges  over  its 
river,  the  Seine  ;  a  large  forest  appeared  on 
one  side,  and  a  palace  and  other  public  build- 
ings were  erected  for  the  use  of  the  Romans. 
The  Gauls  were  a  brave  and  simple  people, 
and  the  ancient  name  of  their  chief  city  was 
Lutetia. 

Julian  had  been  educated  in  the  Christian  re- 
ligion; but,  as  soon  as  he  assumed  the  purple, 
he  strove  to  repress  that  religion,  and  to  pro- 
mote the  restoration  of  the  pagan  mythology,  or 
belief  in  many  gods  ;  hence  he  is  called  "Ju- 
lian the  Apostate."  I  cannot  tell  you  in  how 
many  open  and  concealed  ways  he  attempted 
to  undermine  Christianity  ;  but  I  can  tell  you 
with  pleasure,  that,  whilst  willing  to  change 
the  foriti  of  religion,  he  seemed  desirous  to 
preserve  the  spirit  of  that  pure  morality  de- 
livered by  Jesus  Christ. 

Julian  was  the  most  active  and  industrious 
man  in  his  empire  ;   he  rose  early  and  went 


JULIAN.  283 

late  to  bed ;  he  hurried  over  his  simple  meals 
with  all  the  despatch  in  his  power.*  It  is 
said  that  he  would  emplojr  his  hand  to  write, 
his  ear  to  listen,  and  his  voice  to  dictate,  on 
three  different  subjects  at  the  same  time ; 
and  had  numerous  secretaries  to  succeed  each 
other,  whilst  he  remained  without  repose  to 
direct  them  all.  He  generally  lived  upon 
vegetables,  and  deemed  the  pleasures  of  eat- 
ing and  drinking  beneath  his  consideration  ; 
he  thought  every  moment  lost  that  was  not 
devoted  to  the  good  of  his  people  and  the 
improvement  of  his  own  mind.  He  was  the 
friend  of  Greece,  and  restored  her  cities  to 
comparative  freedom  and  prosperity. 

The  principal  merit  of  Julian  appears  to 
have  been  his  intense  and  unremitted  appli- 
cation to  whatever  he  conceived  to  be  right 
and  praiseworthy.  What  can  be  done  with- 
out application  ?  Without  it,  the  finest  qual- 
ities are  worthless ;  with  it,  very  humble  tal- 
ents must  insure  a  certain  portion  of  fame 
and  success.  Julian  was  unhappily  educated 
amidst  people  who  were  ignorant  of  the  purity 
and  perfection  of  Christianity  ;  and  thus  he 
became  the  enemy  of  religion,  the  doctrines  of 
which  he  unconsciously  approved  and  pro- 
mulgated. It  is  said  that,  when  Julian  was 
about  rebuilding  the  temple  of  Jerusalem,  the 
workmen  were  impeded  in  their  labor  by  fire 

*  Gibbon. 


284  JULIAN.       JOVIAN. 

rushing  from  the  ground  :  certain  it  is,  that  he 
never  completed  this  undertaking. 

Numbers  of  persons  from  distant  places 
travelled  to  Jerusalem,  to  behold  the  spot 
where  the  sepulchre  of  Christ  was  situated. 
These  persons  were  called  pilgrims  ;  and  such 
journeys,  or  pilgrimages,  were  long  deemed 
necessary  and  proper  by  holy  people. 

The  martial  spnit  of  Julian  urged  him  con- 
tinually to  war  :  and  in  an  engagement  with 
the  Persians  he  Vv'as  mortally  wounded.  He 
tried  to  draw  out  the  javelin  which  had  pierced 
his  side,  but  fainted  in  the  attempt.  When 
he  recovered  from  his  swoon,  the  first  words 
he  spoke  were  for  his  arms  and  his  horse,  that 
he  might  return  to  the  contest ;  but,  feeling 
his  weakness,  he  devoted  his  last  hours  to 
conversation  with  his  friends.  About  mid- 
night, he  called  for  a  draught  of  cold  water, 
and,  having  swallowed  it,  expired,  A.  D.  363, 
at  the  age  of  thirty-two,  after  a  short  reign  of 
three  years. 


CHAPTER   LXHI. 

JOVIAN.     VALENTIXIAN.    THEODOSIUS  THE  GREAT 

On  the  death  of  Julian,  the  soldiers  made 
Jovian,  a  captain  of  the  guards,  their  emperor. 
He  withdrew  the  army  from  Persia,  and  pur- 


PICTS    AND    SCOTS.  285 

chased  a  safe  retreat  hy  giving  up  some  con- 
quered provinces.  Jovian  was  a  friend  to  the 
Christians  ;  but  he  died  so  soon  that  little  good 
could  be  effected  in  his  reign.  His  death  was 
sudden  :  after  eating  a  very  hearty  supper,  he 
retired  to  bed,  and  the  next  morning  he  was 
found  lifeless.  Some  thought  that  he  was 
killed  by  indigestion,  and  some  that  he  was 
suffocated  by  the  fumes  of  charcoal.  You 
know  that  to  breathe  the  vapor  which  arises 
from  burning  charcoal  is  very  dangerous,  and 
often  causes  death ;  and  there  can  be  little 
doubt  that  many  persons  lose  their  lives  from 
excessive  eating  and  drinking.  Let  the  fate 
of  Jovian  be  in  your  memory,  to  prevent  your 
running  any  of  these  risks. 

At  this  time  the  Romans,  having  many 
enemies  to  oppose  and  many  conquered  coun- 
tries to  keep  in  subjection,  were  very  often 
forced  to  take  their  soldiers  from  one  place  to 
guard  another.  Thus  it  sometimes  happened 
that  the  Roman  troops  were  called  from 
Britain,  and  sent  to  fight  in  Gaul  or  Germany. 
At  such  times,  the  Picts  and  Scots  took  ad- 
vantage of  their  absence,  and,  in  little  wicker 
boats,  covered  with  leather,  crossed  the  friths, 
or  small  arms  of  the  sea,  and  committed  great 
devastations  in  Britain :  they  were  always 
driven  back,  but  not  till  they  had  done  much 
mischief,  and  carried  away  large  spoil. 

Valentinian,  who  was  chosen  to  succeed 
Jovian,  elected  his  brother  Valens  to  share  the 


286  VALENTINIAN.        GRATIAN, 

government  with  him  ;  and  thus  the  vast  em- 
pire of  Rome  was  divided  into  two  sovereign- 
ties, known  by  the  name  of  the  Eastern  and 
Western  Empires. 

Yalentinian  kept  for  himself  the  Western 
Empire,  and  gave  the  Eastern  to  his  brother. 
This  division  was  made  with  great  pomp  and 
solemnity,  A.  D.  364. 

Yalentinian  caused  his  own  death,  by  put- 
ting himself  into  a  violent  passion.  The 
Q.uadi,  a  tribe  of  Germans,  had  sent  an  em- 
bassy to  soften  the  anger  of  the  emperor,  who 
had  resolved  to  exterminate  them,  for  invading 
some  of  his  dominions.  Although  these  am- 
bassadors approached  him  in  the  most  humble 
manner,  yet  he  burst  out  into  a  fury  of  rage, 
and  spoke  so  loud,  and  with  such  violent 
gestures,  that  he  broke  a  large  blood-vessel, 
and  expired  after  a  few  moments  of  extreme- 
agony —  an  awful  warning  to  those  who  are 
inclined  to  give  way  to  their  passions ! 

Gratian,  the  son,  and  Yalentinian  II.,  the 
grandson  of  Yalentinian  I.,  each  in  turn  suc- 
ceeded him  ;  but,  both  dying  soon,  Theodosius 
became  emperor  of  the  West :  on  the  death  of 
Yalens,  he  became  also  emperor  of  the  East  ,* 
so  that  the  empire  was  once  more  governed 
by  a  single  sovereign. 

Theodosius  became  a  Christian,  and  not 
only  befriended  Christianity,  but  also  sanc- 
tioned the  decision  of  the  senate,  that  Pagan- 
ism should  no  longer  be  the  religion  of  the 


THEODOSIUS    THE    GREAT.  287 

State.  Two  intelligent  men  learnedly  and 
skilfully  argued  in  the  senate  on  the  different 
excellences  of  Christianity  and  Paganism. 
After  a  long  and  sober  discussion,  the  superi- 
ority of  the  Christian  religion  was  so  fully 
and  clearly  established,  that  the  senate  re- 
solved no  longer  to  support  Paganism.  From 
that  period,  Christianity  has  been  the  religion 
of  all  civilized  countries. 

The  incalculable  benefit  which  Theodosius 
conferred  on  all  human  kind,  by  the  extinction 
of  a  false  and  the  establishment  of  the  true 
religion,  had  it  been  his  only  merit,  would 
have  entitled  him  to  the  epithet  of  Great. 
But  Theodosius  had  other  claims  to  renown. 
He  was  wise,  brave,  and  generous ;  he  loved 
and  practised  the  domestic  virtues  ;  he  was 
affectionate  to  his  relations,  faithful  to  his 
friends,  tender  as  a  husband,  and  kind  as  a 
father.  Were  not  these  virtues  the  growth 
of  the  pure  religion  he  professed  ?  Theodosius 
was  of  a  very  passionate  disposition,  as  was 
proved  by  his  ordering  the  massacre  of  many 
persons  at  Thessalonica,  because  an  officer  of  his 
had  been  put  to  death  by  these  people.  When 
Theodosius  became  calm,  he  tried  to  prevent 
the  slaughter ;  but  his  mercy  came  too  late. 
So  it  is  that  passion  dictates  what  reason 
would  abhor !  Who,  then,  would  yield  to 
passion  ? 

Theodosius  was  aware  of  his  defect,  and, 
except  in  this  instance,  steadily  governed  him- 


288  HONORIUS. 

self.  He  generously  forgave  the  inhabitants 
of  Antioch,  who  had  greatly  incensed  him, 
and  whom  he  had  intended  to  punish  ;  but 
he  subdued  his  anger,  and  pardoned  them. 
However  happy  I  should  be  to  teil  you  more 
of  the  admirable  Theodosius,  I  think  it  better 
to  leave  you  the  pleasure  of  reading  of  him  in 
a  better  and  larger  history ;  and  will  only 
add,  that,  to  the  deep  affliction  of  his  sub- 
jects, Theodosius  the  Great  expired  at  Milan, 
in  the  sixtieth  year  of  his  age,  and  eighteenth 
of  his  reign,  A.  D.  395. 


CHAPTER   LXIY. 

HONORIUS.    ALARIC.    PULCHERIA. 

Theodosius  divided  his  empire  between  his 
two  sons.  He  made  Honorius,  the  younger, 
emperor  of  the  West,  of  which  Rome  was  the 
capital ;  and  Arcadius  received  the  throne  of 
the  East,  of  which  Constantinople  was  the 
seat  of  government. 

Thus  was  this  immense  empire  finally  di- 
vided ;  and  we  shall  soon  behold  the  termi- 
nation of  the  dominion  of  Imperial  Rome. 
Honorius  was  very  young  when  he  assumed 
the  purple,  and  by  his  weakness  and  indecision 
hastened  the  downfall  of  a  state  which  it  was 


ALARIC.  289 

his  duty  to  cherish  and  protect.  Alarmed  at 
the  approach  of  the  Goths  under  the  martial 
AlariCj  he  fled  to  Ravenna.  With  him  moved 
the  court ;  and  thus  Rome  again  suffered  by 
the  desertion  of  its  sovereign.  Honorius  far- 
ther lessened  his  dominions,  by  giving  away 
part  of  Spain  as  the  marriage  portion  of  his 
sister ;  and  by  allowing  the  Burgundians,  a 
people  of  Germany,  to  settle  in  Gaul. 

The  Goths  were  divided  into  many  distinct 
nations,  of  which  the  chief  were  the  Ostro- 
goths and  Visigoths ;  that  is,  the  Eastern  and 
Western  Goths.  Alaric  was  king  of  the  Visi- 
goths. Harassed  by  numerous  foes,  the  Ro- 
mans had  resorted  to  the  dangerous  policy  of 
engaging  one  tribe  of  Goths  to  fight  against 
another.  Alaric  had  thus  served  under  the 
Romans ;  but,  fancying  his  merits  had  not 
been  sufficiently  rewarded,  he  collected  an 
army,  desolated  Greece,  and  entered  Italy. 
Athens  was  saved  from  his  fury,  because  the 
inhabitants  readily  opened  their  gates  for 
his  entrance.  Stilicho,  the  Roman  general, 
showed  the  yet  undestroyed  spirit  of  his  once 
conquering  countrymen,  by  driving  Alaric 
into  Arcadia.  Bat,  after  the  death  of  Stilicho, 
the  king  of  the  Visigoths  again  invaded  Italy, 
and  pitched  his  camp  before  Rome.  A  large 
sum  of  money  bribed  him  to  retire  for  a  short 
time ;  but,  A.  D.  410,  he  came  back,  entered 
Rome  by  force,  and  gave  up  the  city  to  be 
plundered  by  his  soldiers.  It  has  been  ob- 
25 


290 


ALARIC. 


served  that  such  of  the  Goths  as  were  Chris- 
tians spared  many  of  the  inhabitants,  and 
respected  the  temples  dedicated  to  worship  — 
one  of  many  instances  that  might  be  adduced 
of  the  beneficial  eifects  of  the  religion  of 
Christ,  thus  humanizing  the  heart,  and  in- 
spiring mercy  to  a  fallen  foe. 


For  six  days,  pillage  and  murder  filled  this 
once  imperial  city ;  and  for  four  years  the 
Goths  kept  possession  of  Italy.  Alaric,  not 
contented  with  this  splendid  conquest,  resolved 
upon  making  himself  master  of  Sicily  and 
Africa.  How  restless,  how  insatiable  is  am- 
bition !  Part  of  the  Goths  had  embarked,  and 
were  lost  in  a  storm  in  the  Straits  of  Messina ; 
and,  Alaric  himself  dying,  the  invasion  was 
given  up.  The  funeral  of  Alaric  was  too  re- 
markable not  to  be  noticed.  The  barbarians 
employed  their  prisoners  to  dig  a  deep  trench, 


ALARIC.  29 1 

into  which  they  turned  the  waters  of  a  river. 
In  the  bed  of  the  river  thus  deprived  of  its 
waters,  they  buried  Alaric  with  great  pomp 
and  splendor :  this  done,  they  returned  the 
waters  into  their  proper  channel  ;  and  thus  the 
murmuring  river  became  the  monument  of 
their  deceased  monarch  —  a  changing  but  im- 
perishable memento ! 

The  spot  so  consecrated  was  forever  kept 
concealed  by  the  cruel  slaughter  of  the  cap- 
tives who  had  dug  his  tomb !  You  now 
guess  the  reason  of  this  choice  of  a  grave  ?  It 
might  have  been  justly  feared,  that,  otherwise, 
the  desolalor  of  Rome  would  not  have  reposed 
undisturbed. 

Alaric  is  represented  as  not  only  brave,  but 
generous,  and  much  more  polished  than  the 
people  whom  he  governed.  Athaulfus,  or 
Adolphus,  his  successor,  married  Placidia,  the 
sister  of  Honorius,  and  received  with  her,  as 
I  told  you,  a  dowry  of  some  provinces  in 
Spain. 

St.  Chrysostom,  the  patriarch  of  Constan- 
tinople, had  been  sent  into  exile  by  Arcadius. 
This  feeble  emperor  expired  after  an  inglori- 
ous reign  of  fourteen  years,  aged  thirty-one, 
A.  D.  408. 

Theodosius  II.  was  only  a  nominal  emperor ; 
he  indeed  succeeded  his  father  Arcadius ;  but 
the  government  was  put  into  the  hands  of  his 
sister  Pulcheria,  who  for  forty  years  reigned 


292  PULCHERIA.        HONORIUS. 

with  prudence  and  ability  ;  first  in  her  broth- 
er's name,  and  lastly  in  her  own.  At  sixteen 
she  received  the  title  of  Augusta.  She  was 
charitable,  industrious,  and  pious :  she  wrote 
the  Greek  and  Latin  languages  with  elegance 
and  fluency ;  she  spoke  well  on  public  occa- 
sions ;  and  was  as  deliberate  in  considering 
affairs  as  she  was  prompt  in  executing  them 
when  resolved  upon.  Though  thus  entirely 
ruling  the  empire,  she  modestly  attributed  its 
peace  and  prosperity  to  her  brother. 

Pulcheria  is  not  the  only  woman  who  has 
shone  as  a  sovereign  and  legislator.  This 
proves  that  women  are  capable  of  discharging 
the  duties  of  a  public  station.  Few  are  so 
called  upon  to  act ;  but  all  may  give  dignity 
and  happiness  to  the  circle  of  domestic  life, 
the  true  sphere  of  womanly  exertion. 


CHAPTER    LXV. 

FERGUS.    PHARAMOND.    THE  ROMANS  QUIT 
BRITAIN. 

HoNORTUS,  emperor  of  the  West,  died  sud- 
denly, A.  D.  423  ;  and  a  usurper,  named  John, 
strove  to  succeed  him ;  but  he  was  soon  con- 
quered and  beheaded,  and  Valentinian  III.  was 
placed  on  the  throne  of  Rome,  A.  D.  425. 


PHARAMOND.  293 

But  we  must  go  back  a  little  in  the  order 
of  time  ;  for  I  have  to  tell  you  that,  just  when 
Alaric  was  about  to  enter  Rome,  Scotland  was 
governed  by  a  king,  named  Fergus,  of  whom 
little  more  is  known. 

The  Franks  also  had  now  a  king,  named 
Pharamond.  The  date  of  this  monarch's 
reign  has  been  variously  asserted  ;  but  when 
you  consider  the  barbarous  state  of  those  na- 
tions, their  want  of  historians,  and  the  changes 
that  are  unavoidably  made  in  all  writings, 
from  translations  and  various  copyings,  you 
will  not  wonder  that  I  cannot  tell  you  much 
of  Fergus  and  Pharamond.  And  here  I  must 
request  you  to  reflect  on  the  degree  of  reliance 
that  is  to  be  placed  on  all  historical  accounts. 
Pray,  when  any  thing  has  happened  in  a 
neighbor's  family,  nay,  in  your  own  home, 
have  you  not  sometimes  heard  very  contra- 
dictory accounts  of  the  same  action  ?  If  the 
truth  is  so  difficult  to  be  ascertained  respect- 
ing events  that  have  lately  happened,  how 
impossible  must  it  be  to  procure  it  respecting 
matters  that  have  taken  place  fourteen  or 
fifteen  hundred  years  ago  ! 

I  press  this  upon  your  attention,  because  I 
would  not  have  you  hastily  believe  improba- 
ble and  extraordinary  incidents ;  because  I 
would  not  have  you  indiscriminately  credit 
those  hideous  stories  of  vice  and  cruelty,  so 
frequently  detailed.  When  we  hear  of  wicked 
tyrants,  whilst  we  hate  the  crimes  laid  to  their 
25* 


294  THE    ROMANS    QUIT    BRITAIN. 

charge,  let  us  remember  that  it  is  possible  those 
crimes  were  never  committed  by  them ;  and 
never  let  us  forget  that  the  memory  of  the 
dead  ought  to  be  sacred.  They  cannot  speak 
to  vindicate  themselves ;  let  our  candor  do  it 
for  them.  Historians  may  err  by  mistake,  by 
false  intelligence,  or  by  misconception  :  let  us 
hate  every  crime  and  every  degree  of  tyran- 
ny ;  but  let  us  not  readily  believe  those  to  be 
guilty  who  are  represented  as  such. 

In  the  reign  of  Valentinian  III.,  the  Ro- 
mans finally  quitted  Britain.  They  wanted 
all  the  soldiers  they  could  collect  for  the  de- 
fence of  Rome,  and  therefore  drew  away  their 
troops  from  this  island,  and  many  Britons 
with  them.  They  seem  to  have  behaved  as 
kindly  as  they  could  on  their  departure.  They 
repaired  the  stone  wall,  which  had  been  built 
by  Severus  to  keep  off  the  northern  invaders ; 
they  taught  the  Britons  hoAV  best  to  defend 
themselves  ;  and  departed  on  the  most  friend- 
ly terms  with  the  people  whom  they  had 
governed  for  almost  four  hundred  years,  A.  D. 
426. 

The  Britons  were  now  left  to  make  their 
own  laws  and  rule  themselves.  The  Romans 
had  taught  them  how  to  build  houses  and 
make  roads.  They  had  schools  for  the  in- 
struction of  youth,  and  had  begun  to  know 
the  use  of  metals.  But  it  has  been  said  that, 
though  brave,  they  were  not  warlike ;  they 
would  fight  boldly,  but  not  skilfully.     How- 


THE    ROMANS    QUIT    BRITAIN.  295 

ever,  as  they  could  no  longer  depend  upon  the 
Romans  for  help  and  advice,  they  were  com- 
pelled to  think  and  act  for  themselves. 

The  Scots  and  Picts  entered  Britain  by 
breaking  down  parts  of  the  wall ;  and  they  pil- 
laged every  place  they  visited.  The  alarmed 
Britons  hastily  fled  before  them,  and  took 
shelter  in  their  woods  and  mountains.  In 
this  distress  they  applied  for  help  to  Aetius, 
the  general  of  Valentinian,  and  in  these  memo- 
rable words  addressed  him  :  "  The  barbarians 
are  on  one  side,  the  sea  on  the  other  ;  the  sea 
drives  us  on  the  barbarians,  and  the  barbarians 
drive  us  into  the  sea  :  we  must  either  be  cut 
to  pieces  by  the  sword,  or  drowned  in  the 
deep."  Tiiis  disgraceful  lamentation  of  Brit- 
ons was  uttered  in  vain.  Aetius  could  not 
help  them  ;  but  the  invaders,  having  taken  all 
they  could,  retired  of  their  own  accord. 

The  frightened  Britons  now  returned  to  the 
homes  they  had  abandoned,  and  again  busied 
themselves  in  cultivating  the  ground.  Their 
labors  were  rewarded  with  abundant  crops ; 
so  that  from  terror  and  complaint  they  changed 
to  mirth  and  indulgence. 

Easily  depressed  and  easily  elevated  —  such 
were  our  forefathers.  Do  not  you  think  some- 
thing of  this  character  still  subsists  among  us  ? 

The  Vandals  were  at  this  time  ravaging 
Africa,  where  Genseric,  their  king^  surprised 
and  took  Carthage,  A.  D.  439,  nearly  six  hun- 
dred years  after  the  destruction  of  the  ancient 


296  ATTILA. 

city  by  Scipio.  The  more  modern  Carthage 
had  been  built  by  Augustus  ;  it  was  a  splen- 
did city,  but  the  relentless  Genseric  cruelly 
desolated  it. 

There   was  another  city,  in   Spain,  called 
New  Carthage,  built  by  Asdrubal,  B.  C.  227. 


CHAPTER   LXYl. 

ATTILA.    FRANKS.    MONASTERIES. 

Attila  became  sole  king  of  the  Huns,  by 
depriving  his  brother  Bleda  of  his- life,  A.  D* 
444.  He  was  so  ferocious  in  his  appearance 
that  his  subjects  trembled  when  they  looked 
at  him  ;  and  he  was  so  fond  of  war  that  he 
was  called  "  the  Scourge  of  God."  I  do  not 
like  this  name,  either  for  him  or  any  body 
else ;  since  I  find  it  difficult  to  believe  that  a 
God  of  mercy  and  love  inspires  thoughts  of 
blood  and  rapine. 

The  vast  countries  then  called  Scythia  and 
Germany  were  under  the  control  of  Attila ; 
and,  as  he  was  perpetually  making  conquests, 
his  territory  was  always  increasing.  He  car- 
ried his  victorious  army  to  the  gates  of  Con- 
stantinople, and  obliged  Theodosius  H.  to 
purchase  safety  by  large  tributes  and  gifts. 

Ambassadors  were  afterwards  sent   to  the 


ATTILA.  297 

exacting  king  of  the  Huns.  During  the  jour- 
ney, the  barbarians  supplied  the  embassy  with 
all  the  necessaries  of  life  ;  they  brought  them 
millet,  mead,  and  strong  spirits.  Their  houses 
and  palaces  were  made  of  wood;  but  their 
furniture,  their  dress,  and  military  accoutre- 
ments, were  enriched  with  treasures  taken  from 
the  people  they  had  conquered  —  goblets  of 
gold  and  silver  from  Greece,  and  jewels  and 
embroidery  from  the  Romans. 

After  keeping  the  Romans  in  terror  for 
many  years,  Attila  died  of  excessive  drinking, 
A.  D.  454.  It  is  supposed  that  an  artery 
burst  and  suffocated  him  as  he  lay  in  bed  ;  for 
he  was  in  the  morning  found  dead,  though  he 
had  retired  the  night  before  in  apparent  health. 

So  haughtily  did  this  rude  king  treat  the 
Romans,  that  once,  when  disappointed  of  re- 
ceiving the  accustomed  tribute,  he  commanded 
his  ambassadors  to  send  the  following  remon- 
strance to  the  courts  of  Constantinople  and 
Ravenna :  ''  Attila,  my  lord  and  your  lord, 
commands  you  to  provide  a  palace  for  his  im- 
mediate reception."  Gaul  and  Italy  were 
ravaged  by  this  remorseless  warrior.  The- 
odoric,  king  of  the  Visigoths,  once  defeated 
him ;  but,  after  the  death  of  Theodoric,  he 
continued  his  ravages.  It  is  said  that  Attila 
at  last  gave  peace  to  the  Romans  because  he 
was  softened  by  the  eloquence,  and  struck 
by  the  appearance,  of  Leo,  bishop  or  pope  of 
Rome.  3.vi  ■  V,  .--.r.. 


298  THE    FRANKS. 

The  Franks  were  now  established  in  Gaul, 
under  Meroveeus,  who  was  the  first  king  of 
the  Merovingian  family.  The  Franks  were 
tall  and  fair,  with  blue  eyes  and  flaxen  hair; 
their  dress  fitted  so  tightly  as  to  show  their 
exact  shape ;  they  wore  a  long  sword  hung  in 
a  belt  at  the  side,  and  carried  a  large  shield. 
Monasteries  were  now  common  in  Gaul ;  and, 
as  these  abodes  have  continued  to  subsist 
down  to  the  present  era,  both  in  France  and 
Italy,  I  will  give  you  some  account  of  their 
origin. 

The  first  person  who  devoted  himself  to  a 
life  of  seclusion  was  Antony,  an  Egyptian. 
He  left  his  family,  and  friends,  and  retired  to 
a  lonely  spot,  near  the  Red  Sea,  A.  D.  271 ; 
there  he  lived  for  some  time  alone,  spending 
his  time  in  prayer  and  meditation,  and  living 
upon  roots  and  herbs.  Other  Egyptians  de- 
sired to  follow  his  example  ;  and,  crowding  to 
him,  they  built  large  edifices  and  dwelt  in 
them  ;  devoting  themselves  to  religion,  and 
subsisting  on  the  simplest  fare.  These  build- 
ings, called  monasteries,  soon  spread  over 
Egypt,  and  thence  to  other  parts  of  the  world  ; 
the  persons  retiring  to  them  were  named 
monks,  anchorets,  or  hermits  ;  numerous  wo- 
men also  entered  these  holy  abodes,  and  gave 
themselves  up  to  piety  and  retirement. 

Martin  of  Tours,  a  soldier,  a  hermit,  and  a 
saint,  introduced  monasteries  in  Gaul,  A.  D. 
360 ;    one  was  also  founded  at    Barchor,  in 


MONASTERIES.  299 

Flintshire ;  and  another  at  lona,  one  of  the 
islands  of  the  Hebrides,  From  these  the  cus- 
tom spread  through  Ireland,  Scotland,  and 
South  Britain. 

The  monks  were  divided  into  several  kinds, 
as  the  Benedictines,  the  Franciscans,  &c.,  and 
followed  different  rules ;  but  all  secluded 
themselves  from  social  life,  and  refused  to 
partake  of  the  pleasures  and  business  of  the 
world.  What  would  become  of  the  world,  if 
all  people  were  to  do  so  ?  How  would  man- 
kind be  fed,  and  clothed,  and  sheltered  ?  How 
could  the  soil  be  tilled  or  animals  killed  for 
food,  or  manufactures  prosecuted  for  clothing, 
or  houses  built  and  furnished  ?  Can  idleness 
be  virtue  ?  The  persons  who  first  became 
monks,  no  doubt,  thought  they  were  doing 
right,  and  must  be  pitied  for  their  ignorance. 
But,  in  more  enlightened  times,  it  is  strange 
that  such  institutions  should  continue  to  exist. 
You  have  heard  of  the  convents  in  France  : 
these  convents  were  monasteries  in  which 
men  and  women  resided,  shut  out  from  the 
sight  and  companionship  of  their  fellow-crea- 
tures. Old  and  young,  rich  and  poor,  were 
thus  imprisoned  together ;  and  in  some  of 
these  abodes  not  a  word  was  allowed  to  be 
spoken,  so  that  constant  silence  reigned  with 
unbroken  solitude. 

I  turn  from  this  melancholy  picture,  to  in- 
form you  that  the  barbarous  nations  were  now 
almost  all  of  them  converted  to  Christianity. 


300  HENGIST    AND    HbRSA. 

The  Goths,  Vandals,  Burgimdians,  and  Suevi, 
(a  tribe  settled  in  Spain,)  all  acknowledged 
the  Christian  faith.  The  Saxons  and  Franks, 
indeed,  still  remained  Pagans ;  but  you  will 
shortly  hear  of  their  conversion  also. 

When  we  think  of  those  rude  times,  all 
Europe  appears  to  have  been  devastated  by 
war  and  rapine  —  the  Romans  feebly  striving 
to  repel  the  numerous  invaders,  and  every  year 
becoming  weaker  by  the  contest  —  the  nations 
now  flourishing  in  arts  and  literature,  slowly 
but  gradually  emerging  from  barbarism.  Such 
was  the  state  of  the  world,  A.  D.  450. 


CHAPTER    LXYII. 

HENGIST  AND  HORSA.    ARTHUR.     VENICE. 

About  A.  D.  445,  the  Britons  were  again 
alarmed  by  information  that  their  northern 
neighbors  were  about  to  invade  their  country 
once  more ;  and,  according  to  their  usual  custom 
in  seasons  of  danger,  they  elected  a  general  to 
command  their  united  forces.  Yortigern  was 
chosen  for  this  post  of  honor ;  but,  instead  of 
exerting  the  power  of  the  nation,  this  prince 
looked  abroad  for  assistance,  and  resolved  to 
ask  aid  of  the  Saxons. 

The  Saxons  were  one  of  those  Gothic  na- 


HENGIST    AND    HORSA.  301 

tionSj  who,  before  the  time  of  Caesar,  had, 
under  the  name  of  Suevi,  settled  in  Germany. 
They  were  more  refined  than  the  Britons,  and 
better  understood  the  art  of  war.  The  custom 
of  trying  by  twelve  men,  (which  we  call  a 
jury,)  and  which  is  one  of  the  boast  of  our 
constitution,  was  derived  from  the  Saxons. 

The  petition  sent  by  Vortigern  was  very 
humble,  and  such  as  a  Briton  now-a-days 
would  be  ashamed  to  prefer.  It  is  now  the 
practice  for  Britons  to  fight  their  own  battles, 
and  protect  their  own  country,  and  not  be- 
seech others  to  do  it  for  them.  But  the 
Britons  of  modern  times,  be  it  remembered, 
are  in  a  great  measure  descendants  of  those 
very  Saxons  of  whom  I  am  now  speaking. 

The  Saxons  were  very  glad  to  accept  the 
invitation ;  and  two  brothers,  Hengist  and 
Horsa,  came  over  with  fifteen  hundred  men, 
and  landed  in  the  Isle  of  Thanet,  in  Kent : 
joining  the  Britons,  they  marched  forwards, 
and  routed  the  Scots  and  Picts,  whom  they 
found  advanced  as  far  as  Lincolnshire.  The 
Saxons,  having  conquered  the  enemies  of 
Britain,  next  turned  their  arms  on  their  friends, 
and  attacked  the  Britons  themselves.  Horsa 
was  slain;  but  Hengist  ravaged  the  island; 
so  that  numbers  of  the  islanders  fled  for  safety 
to  Armorica,  since  called  Brittany,  in  France. 

Hengist  made  himself  master  of  Kent,  Es- 
sex, and  Middlesex,  and  fixed  his  residence  at 
Canterbury. 

26 


302  ARTHUR.       VANDALS. 

Elkj  another  Saxon  general,  took  possession 
of  Surrey,  Sussex,  and  part  of  Hampshire  ; 
while  another  tribe,  under  Cerdic,  made  a 
third  settlement,  in  Berks,  Wilts,  Somerset, 
Dorset,  and  Devon. 

About  this  time,  we  hear  of  Arthur,  king 
of  the  Silures,  who  gained  great  renown  by 
defeating  the  Saxons  in  twelve  pitched  battles. 
He  was  a  prince  of  great  courage  ;  and  it  is 
said  that,  in  one  battle,  he  destroyed  more 
than  four  hundred  of  the  enemy  with  his  own 
hand.  But  of  little  avail  was  his  courage 
against  the  host  of  marauders  that  now  poured 
into  the  island  :  after  a  long  struggle,  he  was 
slain  in  battle,  about  A.  D.  542 ;  and  the  Sax- 
ons were  left  to  possess  themselves  of  the  un- 
protected island. 

We  will  leave  these  invaders  fighting  their 
way  to  dominion,  and  inquire  about  our  old 
friends  the  Romans. 

Whilst  Hengist  was  desolating  Britain, 
Genseric,  king  of  the  Yandals,  was  as  busily 
employed  in  Italy.  Rome  was  again  the  prey 
of  a  barbarian  victor ;  and  though  Genseric 
promised  to  spare  the  city,  at  the  request  of 
Leo  the  Great,  her  venerable  pope,  yet  he  did 
not  keep  his  word.  The  Yandals  and  Moors 
from  Carthage  pillaged  the  city  for  fourteen 
days,  and  vast  treasures  were  removed  to 
Carthage,  A.  D.  455.  Numbers  of  Romans 
were  carried  away  as  captives  ;  amongst  whom 
were  the  two  daughters  of  Theodosius,  and 


VENICE.  303 

his  wife,  the  Empress  Eudoxia,  These  un- 
happy prisoners  were  in  a  state  of  great  misery 
on  their  arrival  in  Africa.  Deogratias,  the 
good  bishop  of  Carthage,  softened  their  suf- 
ferings in  every  way  he  could  devise :  he 
ransomed  some,  and  distributed  food  and  med- 
icines to  the  sick  and  starving ;  he  visited 
them,  comforted  them,  and  showed  that  he 
practised  as  well  as  taught  the  maxims  of  the 
rehgion  he  professed.  It  is  refreshing  to 
meet  with  such  an  instance  of  humanity  and 
piety,  in  an  age  marked  by  rude  and  ferocious 
manners. 

About  this  time,  A.  D.  452,  the  beautiful 
city  of  Venice  was  founded.  When  Attila 
drove  the  people  of  Italy  before  him,  some  of 
them  took  refuge  in  the  small  islands  that 
stand  in  the  Adriatic  Sea,  close  to  the  shore 
of  Italy,  and  there  laid  the  foundation  of  a 
city,  which  afterwards  made  a  great  figure  in 
history. 

Venice  is  described  as  looking  at  a  distance 
like  a  large  town  floating  on  the  sea.  Instead 
of  paved  streets,  canals  run  before  the  houses, 
so  that  boats  (gondolas)  are  used  by  passen- 
gers instead  of  coaches  and  chairs.  Many 
bridges  cross  these  canals ;  and  some  of  the 
public  buildings  are  most  magnificent.  Do 
you  not  think  it  must  be  a  very  extraordinary 
place  ?  At  first,  like  all  other  towns,  it  only 
consisted  of  a  few  rude  huts ;  then  better  houses 
were  built ;  and  it  went  on  improving  in  size 


304  EXTINCTION    OF 

and  beauty.  So  all  earthly  things  advance  to 
maturity.  The  child  grows  to  the  man ;  the 
sapling  swells  into  the  oak  ;  the  circle  of  huts 
changes  to  the  magnificent  city  ! 


CHAPTER   LXVIII. 

EXTINCTION    OF   THE    WESTERN    EMPIRE, 

A.  D.  476. 

We  have  had  much  amusement  in  tracing 
the  history  of  Ronie,  from  its  foundation  by 
Romulus,  B.  C.  753,  through  more  than  twelve 
hundred  years  of  its  busy  existence.  We  are 
now  come  to  the  interesting  period  of  its 
downfall. 

You  have  seen  that,  from  the  departure  of 
Constantine,  this  once  imperial  city  began  to 
lose  its  greatness.  The  division  of  the  vast 
empire  between  the  sons  of  Constantine  still 
further  shook  its  stability;  the  removal  of  Ho- 
norius  with  his  court  to  Ravenna  was  another 
evil  which  led  to  its  decline. 

The  Romans  had  no  longer  wise,  and  brave, 
and  prudent  monarchs,  and  they  had  more 
numerous  and  more  skilful  enemies.  The 
population  of  the  world  had  greatly  increased. 
All  these  circumstances  combined  to  wrest 
from  Rome  her  influence  and  her  conquests. 


THE  WESTERN  EMPIRE.         305 

Theodosius  the  Great,  for  a  short  period, 
was  sole  governor  of  the  empire,  but  divided 
it,  at  his  deathj  between  his  two  sons.  Rome 
fell  to  the  lot  of  Honorius ;  and  I  will  give  you 
a  list  of  his  successors. 

A.  D. 

Honorius  became  emperor      .....  395 

Valentinian    .  ^ 425 

Maximus 455 

Avitus 455 

MajorianUs 457 

Severus 461 

Anthemius 467 

Olybrius 472 

Glycerius 473 

Julius  Nepos 474 

Aufifustulus  Romulus .  475 


In  the  short  space  of  eighty  years,  Rome 
Was  governed  by  eleven  successive  sovereigns. 
It  is  singular,  that  the  name  of  the  last  em- 
peror should  be  similar  to  that  of  the  founder. 
Augustulus  took  the  name  of  Romulus  from 
his  mother,  who  was  the  daughter  of  a  Count 
Romulus.  His  father  was  Orestes,  a  warlike 
general,  who  had  once  fought  at  the  head  of 
the  barbarians,  under  the  command  of  Attila  ; 
but  afterwards  became  an  officer  under  Nepos  ; 
and  in  that  situation  excited  the  army  to  de- 
pose Nepos  and  proclaim  Augustulus  emperor 
of  the  West. 

Augustulus,  young  and  effeminate,  was  in- 
capable of  wielding  the  sceptre  of  this  still 
mighty  empire.  His  father  supported  his 
26^^ 


306  EXTINCTION    OP 

rights,  and  continued  to  act  as  the  general  of 
his  son. 

Orestes  had  engaged  some  barbarians  to 
fight  in  his  army.  These  mercenaries  (men 
who  fight  for  money)  became  very  exorbitant 
in  their  demands,  and  asked  for  excessive 
rewards. 

Orestes  had  the  spirit  and  the  virtue  to  deny 
them ;  for,  he  said,  he  would  not  take  land 
from  innocent  people  ;  and,  by  this  honest 
decision,  he  exposed  himself  to  the  rage  of 
the  disappointed  barbarians. 

Sad  must  have  been  the  state  of  the  world, 
when  virtue  received  the  treatment  due  to 
crime !  Another  barbarian  general,  named 
Odoacer.  took  advantage  of  the  mutiny  of  the 
troops,  and,  by  large  promises  gaining  the 
command,  accomplished  the  ruin  of  Orestes, 
and  entered  Rome  in  triumph.  Orestes  was 
publicly  executed  ;  his  son,  Augustulus.  was 
banished  to  the  castle  of  LucuUus,  where  he 
lived  with  his  family,  and  was  allowed  a 
handsome  income.  Thus  perished  the  West- 
ern Empire. 

Odoacer  was  proclaimed  king  of  Italy  ;  but, 
it  is  said,  though  he  ruled  the  empire,  he  never 
assumed  the  purple,  nor  wore  the  crown.  As 
people  from  many  nations  composed  his  army 
and  his  subjects,  he  was  fearful  of  oifending 
one  party  by  taking  the  title  of  the  sovereign 
of  another. 

Odoacer   reigned  fourteen   years,  when  he 


THE    WESTERN    EMPIRE.  307 

was  conquered  by  Theodoric,  the  Ostrogoth. 
The  city  of  Ravenna,  in  which  he  resided, 
was  taken  after  a  siege  of  three  years ;  and  it 
was  agreed  that  the  two  Gothic  chiefs  should 
reign  jointly  ;  but,  a  few  days  after  this  treaty, 
Odoacer  w^as  stabbed  at  a  banquet  by  the 
command  of  Theodoric. 


CHAPTER   LXIX. 

THEODORIC.    ST.  PATRICK.    CLOVIS. 

Rome  still  existed  as  a  city  ;  but  she  was  no 
longer  the  Imperial  city,  the  queen  of  the 
world,  the  seat  of  power.  The  attacks  of  the 
barbarians  had  greatly  injured  her  beauty  and 
magnificence  ;  and  she  bears,  to  this  day,  the 
marks  of  their  merciless  and  tasteless  incur- 
sions. 

Another  Gothic  sovereign  now  reigned  in 
Italy :  this  was  Theodoric,  born  at  Vienna,  in 
Germany,  two  years  after  the  death  of  Attila. 
He  was  of  royal  race,  the  son  of  Theodemir, 
king  of  the  Amali,  and  succeeded  to  his 
father's  throne.  When  he  had  obtained  pos- 
session of  Italy,  he  dechned  the  title  of  empe- 
ror^ but  adopted  that  of  king  ;  and  addressed 
with  apparent  respect  his  partner  in  empire, 
Anastatius,  then   emperor   of  Constantinople. 


308  THEODORIC. 

His  court,  at  Ravenna,  was  splendid,  and  con» 
ducted  according  to  the  manners  of  ancient 
Rome.  He  gave  peace  to  the  empire  ;  and 
in  the  beginning  of  his  reign  tolerated  the 
Catholic  religion  —  a  religion  founded  on  Chris- 
tianity. 

He  visited  Rome,  and  viewed  with  admira- 
tion and  reverence  the  injured  monuments  of 
her  former  magnificence — the  lofty  column 
of  Trajan,  the  theatre  of  Pompey,  and  the 
noble  amphitheatre  of  Titus.  He  beheld, 
Avith  surprise  and  delight,  the  city  supplied 
with  water  from  fourteen  aqueducts.*  He 
created  an  officer,  whose  sole  business  it  was 
to  preserve  the  monuments  of  art  ;  and  he 
embellished  many  cities  v^ith  churches,  pal- 
aces, and  other  public  buildings.  He  chiefly 
resided  at  Ravenna,  where  he  amused  himself 
by  cultivating  an  orchard  with  his  own  hands  ; 
he  encouraged  agriculture,  directed  the  work- 
ing of  the  mines,  and  drained  the  Pontine 
marshes.  These  marshes  were  near  Rome, 
and  the  damp  air  arising  from  them  was  occa- 
sionally very  unwholesome.  By  this  good 
management,  such  plenty  abounded,  that  a 
gallon  of  wine  was  sometimes  sold  for  three 
farthings,  and  a  quarter  (eight  bushels)  of 
corn  for  five  shillings  and  sixpence.  So  hon- 
est  were   the  citizens,  that  it  was  a  common 


*  Lat.  Aquaductus,  —  from  o^iia,  water,  and  ducOy  to  con* 
duct,  — a  conveyance  for  water. 


THEODORIC.       ST.    PATRICK.  309 

saying,  a  purse  of  gold  might  be  safely  left  in 
the  fields. 

You  see,  I  had  good  reason  for  speaking  to 
you  of  Theodoric.  I  am  sure  you  will  allow- 
that  it  is  pleasurable  to  speak  of  so  beneficent 
a  monarch.  The  grandfather  of  Theodoric 
was  a  prince  of  very  rare  qualities  ;  he  was 
humane  and  benignant,  rose  early,  and  de- 
voted his  long  and  active  day  to  the  duties  of 
his  station :  a  description  of  his  person  and 
manners  has  been  preserved  by  Gibbon,  and  I 
am  sure  you  will  read  it  with  pleasure. 

Again  we  trace  the  excellence  of  character 
to  the  good  example  of  a  parent.  The  grand- 
father of  Theodoric  was  also  called  Theodo- 
ric, and  kept  his  court  at  Tholouse.  The 
king,  of  whom  we  are  speaking,  Theodoric, 
the  conqueror  of  Italy,  died  at  an  advanced 
age,  and  left  the  kingdom  of  Italy  to  his 
grandson  Athalaric,  and  Spain  to  his  grandson 
Amelaric,  A.  D.  526. 

There  is  a  legend  that,  about  this  time,  St. 
Patrick  converted  the  Irish  to  Christianity. 
Ireland,  it  is  said,  was  so  famous  for  its  learned 
men,  its  monasteries,  and  its  academies,  that 
it  was  entitled  the  Island  of  Saints.  It  was 
in  so  prosperous  and  tranquil  a  state,  that  men 
distinguished  for  piety  and  talent  took  refuge 
there  from  the  warfare  of  the  rest  of  Europe. 

The  Franks  were  converted  to  Christianity 
about  this  period.  It  seems  that  Clo vis,  king 
of  the  Franks,  had  defeated  the  Roman  gov- 


310  CLOVIS.       PEPIN. 

ernor,  and  taken  complete  possession  of  Gaul. 
He  married  Clotilda,  daughter  of  the  king  of 
Burgundy,  and  made  himself  master  of  that 
kingdom  by  dethroning  her  father.*"  Clotilda 
was  a  Christian,  as  were  all  the  Burgundians, 
and  she  persuaded  her  husband  to  embrace 
the  religion  she  professed.  When  Clovis  be- 
came a  Christian,  A.  D.  496,  all  his  subjects  fol- 
lowed his  example  ;  so  that  Clotilda  bestowed 
a  public  benefit.  With  Clovis  begins  the 
regular  history  of  France.  He  revised  the 
Salic  laws,  which  were  derived  from  a  people 
of  Germany.  One  of  these  laws  excludes 
women  from  the  throne  ;  hence  no  female 
ever  wore  the  crown  of  France. 

Theodoric  conquered  Clovis  in  battle,  but 
afterwards  made  peace  with  him.  Paris  was 
now  made  the  capital  of  France ;  and  Clovis 
died,  A.  D.  511,  after  dividing  his  kingdom 
among  his  four  sons. 

Of  the  successors  of  Clovis,  none  were 
worthy  of  notice,  until  Pepin  le  Bref,  the 
grandson  of  Charles  Martel,  became  king,  by 
virtue  of  an  order  from  the  pope.  When 
Pepin  died,  A.  D.  768,  he  left  two  sons, 
Charles  and  Carloman,  between  whom  he  be- 
queathed his  kingdom.  But,  Carloman  dying 
soon  after  his  father,  Charles  became  sole  sove- 
reign :  you  will  soon  hear  of  him,  under  the 
narrie  of  Charlemagne,  acting  a  very  distin- 
guished part  in  history. 

*  Tytler. 


JUSTINIAN.  311 

CHAPTER    LXX. 

JUSTINIAN.    BELISARIUS. 

We  have  seen  the  Western  Empire  in  the 
hands  of  the  barbarians ;  let  us  now  inquire 
how  the  Eastern  emperors  were  going  on. 
If  you  will  look  at  a  map  of  the  world,  you 
will  see  that  Constantinople  lies  to  the  east  of 
Rome,  and  you  will  thus  understand  why  it  is 
called  the  seat  of  the  Eastern  Empire.  The 
following  is  a  list  of  the  Eastern  emperors,  be- 
ginning with  Arcadius,  the  son  of  Theodosius 
the  Great,  down  to  Justinian  I. 

A.  D. 

Arcadius  began  to  reign 395 

Theodosius  and  Pulcheria 408 

Marcian 450 

Leo  the  Great 457 

Leo  II 474 

Zeno 474 

Extinction  of  the  Western  Empire. 

Anastasius 491 

Justin  1 518 

Justinian  1 527 

As  the  period  of  Justinian's  reign  is  marked 
by  many  interesting  events,  both  in  his  East- 
ern Empire  and  in  other  parts  of  the  world,  I 
will  make  you  acquainted  with  some  of  them. 

Justinian  succeeded  his  uncle  Justin.  He 
was  a  youth  of  obscure  origin,  but  was  taken 


313  JUSTINIAN. 

early  from  his  native  village,  and  educated  at 
Constantinople  by  his  uncle,  who  adopted  him, 
and  named  him  for  his  successor.  It  is  said 
that  Justin  was  himself  so  ignorant  that  he 
did  not  even  know  the  alphabet.  Theodora, 
the  wife  of  Justinian,  was  a  very  singular 
character ;  but,  as  her  faults  were  many,  I 
shall  not  further  notice  her. 

Justinian  was  fortunate  in  the  possession  of 
a  valiant  and  skilful  general.  You  have  heard 
of  Belisarius ;  and  you  have  heard  that,  after 
a  life  of  glory,  he  was  deprived  of  his  sight 
and  of  his  fortune,  and,  like  a  blind  beggar, 
went  about  asking  for  a  penny  :  this  is  not 
true.  Belisarius  was  long  as  successful  as  he 
was  brave  ;  he  preserved  such  strict  discipline 
among  his  troops,  that,  in  the  neighborhood 
of  his  camp,  not  an  apple  was  stolen  fi'om  the 
trees,  nor  a  path  made  through  the  cornfields. 
He  defeated  the  Persians,  and  quelled  an  in- 
surrection at  Constantinople ;  he  vanquished 
Gelimar,  king  of  Africa,  and  took  from  him 
his  capital  city,  Carthage,  A.  D.  534. 

The  Moors  are  now  first  named  in  history. 
They  were  originally  natives  of  the  ancient 
Mauritania,  which  comprehended  the  present 
empire  of  Morocco,  and  from  which  these 
people  derive  their  name.  They  spread  them- 
selves, in  the  sequel,  over  the  whole  north  of 
Africa,  and  conquered  Spain,  which  they  re- 
tained for  several  centuries.  The  Moors,  at- 
tacking the  Romans,  were  completely  routed. 


BELISARIUS.  313 

and  driven  back  into  their  fastnesses,  their 
deserts,  and  mountains. 

Belisarius  was  equally  successful  in  Italy ; 
he  recovered  many  cities  from  the  dominion 
of  the  Goths,  and  made  himself  master  of 
Rome.  The  crown  of  Italy  was  offered  to 
him,  but  he  magnanimously  refused  the  tempt- 
ing present.  In  546,  Totila  the  Goth,  in  the 
absence  of  Belisarius,  pillaged  Rome  ;  but  this 
brave  and  venerable  general  once  more  recov- 
ered the  city  from  the  barbarians. 

After  a  long  and  glorious  life,  Justinian, 
jealous  of  his  fame,  treated  him  with  most 
undeserved  contempt ;  and  he  was  even  tried, 
on  pretence  that  he  had  conspired  against  the 
life  of  the  emperor.  You  must  read  the 
whole  interesting  account  of  the  actions  of 
Belisarius.  He  died  at  a  very  advanced  age, 
A.  D.  565;  but  neither  blind  nor  in  want  ; 
though  his  property  had  been  confiscated  by 
the  emperor.  Justinian  did  not  long  survive 
the  general  to  whom  he  owed  so  much,  and 
whom  he  had  so  unjustly  treated. 

Soon  after  the  death  of  Belisarius,  the  Lom- 
bards, a  nation  of  Germans,  or  Scandinavians, 
settled  in  Italy,  and  by  degrees  gained  posses- 
sion of  a  great  part  of  that  kingdom.  They 
made  Pavia  their  capital :  the  rest  of  Italy  was 
governed  for  the  emperor  by  an  Exarch,*  or 
governor,  whose  residence  was  at  Ravenna. 


*  The  Exarch  had  civil,  military,  and  ecclesiastical  do- 
minion.—  Gibbon. 

27 


314  JUSTINIAN. 

Justinian  assured  to  himself  the  respect  of 
posterity  by  a  code  of  laws  which  he  caused 
to  be  compiled.  As  you  grow  older,  you  will 
often  hear  of  the  Pandects  of  Justinian  ;  and 
you  will  find  that  the  laws  of  that  celebrated 
emperor  are  infused  into  those  of  almost  all 
the  countries  of  Europe.  He  very  wisely  se- 
lected whatever  was  worthy  of  attention  from 
the  laws  of  ancient  Rome,  and  thus  produced 
a  most  valuable  code. 

The  church  of  St.  Sophia,  at  Constantino- 
ple, of  which  travellers  now  speak  in  terms 
of  high  praise,  was  founded  and  built  by  Jus- 
tinian ;  who  considered  himself  a  second  Sol- 
om.on  for  erecting  this  noble  edifice. 

Various  manufactures  now  enriched  the 
Romans,  and  in  the  reign  of  Justinian  silk 
began  to  be  woven  for  garments.  The  eggs 
of  the  silkworm  were  brought  from  China  in 
the  hollow  of  a  cane  ;  for  the  Chinese  would 
not  knowingly  have  allowed  them  to  be  taken 
away :  they  were  thus,  however*  safely  and 
secretly  transported  into  Europe,  where  they 
soon  multiplied  abundantly. 

A  trade  with  China  now  subsisted  both  by  sea 
and  land  ;  the  land  journey,  though  long  and 
ditiicult,  can  be  conjectured.  The  intercourse 
by  sea  is  judged  to  have  been  thus  managed  ; 
look  at  a  map  of  the  world  ;  trace  the  Chinese 
coasting  it  from  China,  through  the  Strait  of 
jialacca,  to  Acheen,  the  extreme  point  of  the 
Island  of  Sumatra,  and  thence  crossing  over 


MOHAMMED.  315 

to  Ceylon,  where  the  merchants  of  Persia 
might  meet  them,  by  coming  down  the  Per- 
sian Gulf,  and  convey  their  merchandise  to 
Constantinople. 


CHAPTER   LXXL 

MOHAMMED.    ST.  AUGUSTINE. 

I  HAVE  now  to  tell  you  of  a  strange  im- 
postor, named  Mohammed,  or  Mahomet,  the 
artful  and  ambitious  teacher  of  a  false  reli- 
gion. 

I  have  mentioned  the  Arabs,  as  a  wander- 
ing race,  who,  from  the  days  of  Moses,  had 
preserved  nearly  the  same  customs  and  man- 
ners. Some  of  the  tribes  lived  together  in 
towns,  and  were  stationary.  Among  the 
many  cities  that  adorned  Arabia,  Mecca  and 
Medina  are  most  celebrated ;  they  are  both 
situated  on  the  Asiatic  side  of  the  Red  Sea : 
so  look  for  them  in  a  map  of  Asia.  The 
Arabians  had  been  idolaters,  and  had  wor- 
shipped images.  They  had  a  temple  at  Mec- 
ca, called  Caaba,  which  was  annually  visited 
by  pilgrims,  who  there  worshipped  idols  and 
performed  sacrifices.  Afterwards,  Christianity 
was  introduced,  and  was  gaining  ground  rap- 
idly, when    Mohammed  appeared,  and  prop- 


31 G  MOHAMMED. 

agated  a  false  religion,  which  stopped  the 
progress  gf  the  true  one. 

Mohammed  was  born  of  noble  parentage  at 
Mecca,  A.  D.  570,  or  nearly  six  years  after 
the  death  of  Belisarius.  He  was  handsome, 
agreeable,  and,  though  illiterate,  much  given 
to  religious  contemplation. 

He  pretended  to  hold  conferences  with  an 
angel  from  God,  who  commanded  him  to 
teach  a  new  religion,  and  instructed  him  in 
what  that  new  religion  should  consist.  When 
he  was  desired  to  prove  that  his  doctrine  was 
from  heaven,  by  miracles,  as  Jesus  Christ  had 
done,  he  evaded  the  request,  by  pretending  to 
have  celestial  visions,  which  were  given  him, 
instead  of  the  power  of  performing  miracles. 
The  following  is  the  principal  article  of  the 
belief  which  he  desired  to  inculcate  :  "  There 
is  but  one  God,  and  Mohammed  is  his  proph- 
et." The  first  part  it  is  impossible  to  disbe- 
lieve ;  the  last  part  it  is  impossible  to  credit. 
The  Koran  was  a  sacred  book,  which  he 
caused  to  be  written,  to  serve,  like  our  New 
Testament^  for  the  rule  of  faith  and  the  guide 
to  virtue.  He  pretended  that  God  dictated  to 
him  what  should  be  written  in  the  Koran ; 
but  this  assertion  the  book  itself  disproves ; 
for  it  contains  passages  quite  incompatible 
with  the  purity  and  holiness  of  our  Almighty 
Father. 

The  followers  of  Mohammed  are  called 
Mohammedans,  or  Mussulmans  j  they  are  al- 


MOHAftTMED.  317 

lowed  to  marry  as  many  wives  as  they  please ; 
and  the  paradise,  or  heaven,  promised  to  them 
in  a  future  state,  is  to  bestow  every  iTcentious 
joy.  Mohammed  declared  that  he  had  been 
to  heaven,  where  he  had  seen  and  conversed 
with  God  !  What  daring  impiety  !  He  also 
pretended  that  a  copy  of  the  Koran,  bound  in 
silk  and  adorned  with  gems,  was  brought 
down  to  the  lowest  heaven  by  the  a,ngel  Ga- 
briel, who  repeated  portions  of  it  to  him. 
But  I  will  not  go  on  repeating  falsehoods  so 
palpable  and  so  wicked. 

Disputes  in  the  city  caused  Mohammed  to 
be  banished  from  Mecca.  He  went  to  Medi- 
na, and  this  flight  was  named  the  Hefra,^  to 
distinguish  that  era.  He  now  tried  to  gain 
by  the  sword  that  dominion  which  he  had 
failed  to  obtain  by  his  eloquence  and  deceit. 
He  conquered  Arabia ;  Mecca  submitted  to 
his  arms ;  and  some  of  the  Roman  possessions 
were  vanquished  by  him.  In  the  midst  of 
his  victories,  he  died  of  a  fever  at  Medina, 
aged  sixty-three,  A.  D.  632.  From  that  time, 
the  Mohammedan  religion  has  existed  in  Per- 
sia, Arabia,  and  part  of  Africa. 
•  The  Moors,  or  Berbers,  so  called  from  their 
common  origin,  as  Barbarians,  and  living  in 
Barbary,  on  the  coast  of  Africa,  after  some 
opposition,  accepted  the  Mohammedan  faith. 


*  The  Mohammedans  reckon  time  from  the  Hej'ra,  as  we 
do  from  the  birth  of  Christ, 

27* 


318  THE    SARACENS. 

In  A.  D.  712,  about  eighty  years  after  the 
death  of  Mohammedj  they  invaded  Spain,  and 
founded  *a  kingdom  at  Cordova,  A.  D.  756, 
shortly  after  the  birth  of  Charlemagne. 

The  title  of  calif  of  the  Saracens  was 
adopted  by  the  successors  of  Mohammed. 
For  many  years  the  Saracens,  under  their 
several  califs,  carried  war  and  devastation 
over  Europe  and  Asia.  They  took  Jerusalem, 
and  burned  the  celebrated  library  of  Alexan- 
dria. The  Island  of  Cyprus  was  seized  by 
them  ;  as  was  also  the  Island  of  Rhodes,  in 
which  they  found  the  Colossus,  an  immense 
brazen  image  of  Apollo,  and  one  of  the  seven 
wonders  of  the  world  ;  and  they  destroyed  it. 
They  also  ravaged  Sicily,  and  attacked  Con- 
stantinople, but  they  could  not  take  this  city : 
in  short,  they  were  objects  of  terror  wherever 
they  appeared.  Even  Spain  was  conquered 
by  them  ;  and,  though  they  were  driven  after- 
wards from  the  north  of  Spain,  a  nation  of 
them,  the  Moors  of  Africa,  as  we  have  just 
seen,  founded  a  monarchy  in  the  south. 

The  Latin  tongue  now  ceased  to  be  spoken 
in  Italy.  It  is  supposed  that  the  entrance  of 
strangers  had  gradually  altered  the  language 
of  the  common  people  ;  and  at  last  the  lan- 
guage generally  spoken  became  essentially 
different  from  that  of  ancient  Rome,  as  pre- 
served in  the  old  writings.  The  Italian  is 
very  different  from  the  Latin. 

Whilst  Mohammed   was    teaching   a  false 


CHARLEMAGNE.  319 

religion,  St.  Augustine  was,  in  England,  con- 
verting the  Saxon  conquerors  to  the  Christian 
faith.  England  was  divided  into  'many  prin- 
cipalities, each  governed  by  its  prince  ;  but  of 
this  you  shall  hear  more  hereafter. 


CHAPTER   LXXII. 

CHARLEMAGNE. 

I  HAVE  already  stated  that,  by  the  death  of 
his  brother,  Charlemagne  *  became  sole  sove- 
reign of  the  Franks.  For  almost  fifty  years, 
this  great  monarch  continued  to  reign  in  pow- 
er and  splendor,  enlarging  his  territory  by  new 
conquests.  His  father,  Pepin,  had  established, 
or  perhaps  only  restored,  the  plan  of  a  regular 
parliament,  which  met  once  a  year ;  Charle- 
magne directed  that  these  meetings  should  be 
held  twice  in  every  year,  and  that  the  people 
should  send  members  to  it ;  so  that  his  parlia- 
ments consisted  of  three  estates  or  orders  — 
the  clergy,  the  nobility,  and  the  people,  or 
commons.  The  Champ  de  Mars,  or  Field 
of  March,  because  originally  held   in  a  field 


*  His  real  name  was  Charles,,  to  which  Magnus,  or  Greatf 
was  added:  afterwards,  the  two  words  were  compounded 
into  one  —  Charlemagne. 


320 


CHARLEMAGNE. 


on  the  first  of  March,*  was  the  name  of  the 
ancient  assembly,  by  which  the  Franks  made 
laws  and  conducted  all  their  public  business, 
the  king  having  only  one  vote,  like  any  other 
member ;  but  in  the  time  of  Charlemagne,  the 
monarch  had  more  power  and  influence. 

The  feudal  system,  of  which  you  will  hear 
often,  was  introduced  into  France  by  Charle- 
magne ;  he  having  become  acquainted  with  it 
when  he  conquered  the  Lombards,  by  whom 
it  was  practised,  and  by  whom,  perhaps,  it 
was  invented.  The  great  lords  and  barons, 
who  received  from  the  king  gifts  of  castles 
and  lands,  promised,  in  return,  to  bring  sol- 
diers into  the  field,  and  to  fight  the  battles  of 
the  sovereign  who  had  enriched  them  ;  and  also 

*  Afterwards  called  Champ  de  Mai,  because  the  time  of 
its  meeting  was  changed  to  May. 


CHARLEMAGNE.  321 

required  that  their  own  tenants  should  arm 
themselves  in  defence  of  their  superior  lords. 

Charlemagne, '  having  subdued  the  Lom- 
bards, was  crowned  king  of  Italy,  A.  D.  774. 
He  made  himself  master  of  part  of  Ger- 
many, and  attacked  and  vanquished  several 
Gothic  tribes.  He  extirpated  the  Huns,  and 
gained  possession  of  the  Island  of  Sardinia, 
and  some  provinces  of  Spain.  On  Christmas 
day,  A.  D.  800,  he  was  consecrated  emperor 
of  the  West,  by  Pope  Leo  III. ;  but,  as  he 
did  not  reside  at  Rome,  the  Western  Empire, 
though  revived  by  him,  became  at  his  death 
little  more  than  a  name  ;  and  was  subsequent- 
ly better  known  by  the  title  of  the  German 
Empire. 

Charlemagne  divided  his  dominions  into 
provinces,  each  province  containing  a  certain 
number  of  counties.  In  short,  he  seems  to  have 
attended  to  every  branch  of  domestic  policy. 
During  his  reign,  the  manufactures  of  glass, 
wool,  and  iron,  were  successfully  cultivated  ; 
and  he  had  ships  of  war  stationed  at  the  mouth 
of  every  large  river.  He  encouraged  com- 
merce, bestowed  much  attention  on  the  a;rt 
of  music  ;  and  the  Italians  instructed  the 
French  to  play  on  the  organ.  He  protected 
literature,  and  rewarded  men  of  talent.  He 
not  only  diffused  Christianity  among  his  own 
subjects,  but  promoted  it  among  the  people 
whom  he  conquered. 

Charlemagne  was  as  amiable  in  private  life 


322  HAROUN    ALRASCHID. 

as  renowned  in  his  public  character.  He 
trained  his  sons  to  manly  exercises ;  his 
daughters  were  educated  to  excel  in  domestic 
arts.  They  spent  their  time  in  spinning  and 
embroidery,  and  the  other  occupations  of  that 
simple  and  unostentatious  age. 

Charlemagne  died  in  the  seventy-second 
year  of  his  age,  A.  D.  814.  He  left  his  do- 
minions in  Italy  to  his  grandson  Bernard  ;  and 
the  rest  of  his  possessions  to  Louis  le  Dehon- 
7iaire,  his  only  surviving  son. 

Haroun  Alraschid,  (or  Haroun  the  Just,) 
was  calif  of  the  Saracens  at  the  same  time 
and  with  the  same  prosperity  that  attended 
Charlemagne.  You  have  read  of  this  mon- 
arch as  the  hero  of  those  amusing  tales,  the 
^^  Arabian  Nights^  EritertainrneJitsy  Those 
stories  are  considered  to  give  a  very  faithful 
description  of  the  manners  of  the  people  he 
governed.  Almanzor,  his  predecessor,  built 
the  famous  city  of  Bagdad,  on  the  banks  of 
the  Tigris,  in  Asia,  and  made  it  the  seat  of 
the  empire  of  the  califs.  This  place  was  long 
the  abode  of  the  Moslem  princes,  and  was 
built,  according  to  the  chronology  of  the  Ara- 
bians, who  reckon  from  the  llight  of  Moham- 
med to  Medina,  in  the  145th  year  of  the 
Hej'ra ;  that  is,  A.  D.  762. 

Many  princes  had  swayed  the  sceptre  of  the 
Eastern  Empire  since  the  reign  of  Justinian  ; 
and  Constantine  V.  became  emperor  during  the 
life  of  Charlemagne,     His  mother,  Irene,  who 


restored  the  worship  of  images,  kept  her  son, 
during  his  minority,  in  great  subjection ;  and, 
in  the  end,  contrived  to  murder  him  and  cause 
herself  to  be  proclaimed  empress,  A.  D.  797. 
It  is  said  that  she  desired  to  ally  herself  to 
Charlemagne,  either  by  marrying  her  son  Con- 
stantine  to  one  of  his  daughters,  or  by  marry- 
ing him  herself  In  802,  she  was  dethroned, 
and  confined  in  a  monastery. 

Not  long  after  her  death,  a  new  race  of 
barbarians,  the  Turks,  from  Scythia,  (or  Tar- 
tary,)  began  to  make  inroads  on  the  Empire  of 
the  East. 

Armorica,  a  province  of  France,  had  the 
name  of  Brittany,  because  many  Britons  took 
refnge  there  from  the  power  of  Hengist  and 
Horsa,  as  I  have  already  stated. 

Let  us  pause  here,  and  reflect  on  the  state 
of  the  world,  at  the  end  of  the  long  and  pros- 
perous reign  of  Charlemagne. 

England  was  governed  by  seven  independ- 
ent Saxon  princes,  who  had  each  conquered 
and  taken  possession  of  some  part  of  it.  This 
was  called  the  Saxon  Heptarchy.  St.  Augus- 
tine had  recently  converted  the  Saxons  to 
Christianity. 

The  country  of  the  Franks,  under  the  new 
name  of  France,  had  been  gloriously  governed 
by  Charlemagne.  This  great  monarch  was 
also  emperor  of  the  West,  and  king  of  great 
part  of  Spain  and  Germany. 


324    THE  WORLD,  AT  CHARLEMAGNe's  DEATH. 

Pope  Leo  III.  was  the  bishop,  or  pope,  of 
Rome,  and  a  new  order  of  monks,  called  Bene- 
dictines^ after  St.  Benedict,  their  founder,  had 
just  been  introduced  into  Italy. 

The  Moors,  who  had  gained  possession  of 
the  south  of  Spain,  fixed  their  court  at  Cor- 
dova, under  their  king  Abdurrahman  I. 

The  Saracens  were  keeping  all  Europe  in 
awe.  Jerusalem  was  in  their  possession,  and 
Bagdad  was  their  capital  city. 

The  Picts  and  Scots  were  in  full  power  in 
Scotland. 

The  Irish  are  said  to  have  been  living  in  a 
state  of  comparative  learned  and  peaceful  ease. 
The  Britons,  who  scorned  the  Saxon  yoke, 
had  taken  refuge  in  the  mountains  of  Wales ; 
hence  the  Welsh  boast  that  they  are  the  only 
true  descendants  of  the  ancient  Britons. 

The  Empire  of  the  East  was  gradually 
fading  from  its  pristine  glory  under  the  do- 
minion of  weak  or  wicked  sovereigns. 

Athens,  no  longer  the  seat  of  arts  and  sci- 
ence, had  suffered  so  severely  by  the  ravages 
of  the  Goths,  that  little  of  her  ancient  splen- 
dor survived.  Greece  and  Macedonia  were 
in  turn  the  prey  of  the  invading  barbarians. 

Sicily  had  been  pillaged  by  the  Saracens  ; 
and  Syracuse  was  only  celebrated  for  her  past 
greatness.  Egypt  was  also  in  the  hands  of 
these  rude  followers  of  Mohammed ;  and  of 
ancient  Carthage  scarcely  a  vestige  remained. 


CONCLUSION.  325 

Switzerland  formed  a  part  of  the  kingdom 
or  province  of  Burgundy,  and  was  conse- 
quently under  the  rule  of  Charlemagne. 

The  historians  of  Poland  declare  that  that 
kingdom  had  been  long  governed  by  its  own 
kings,  or  dukes,  of  the  family  of  Lesko,  and 
that  their  first  sovereign  was  Lechus,  A.  D. 
550. 

China  and  India  continued  in  nearly  the 
same  degree  of  power  and  civilization  they 
had  each  long  possessed.  China  was  governed 
by  a  single  emperor,  Tay-tsong,  one  of  the 
most  renowned  and  virtuous  of  her  monarchs. 

America  had  not  yet  been  discovered. 

Remember  that  Charlemagne  died  in  the 
beginning  of  the  ninth  century,  A.  D.  814. 


I  must  inform  you,  that  you  will  sometimes 
find  very  different  dates  for  the  same  event. 
To  give  you  one  instance  of  this,  among 
many  :  the  building  of  the  city  of  Carthage  is 
said  by  some  writers  to  have  taken  place,  ac- 
cording to  the  poet  Virgil,  about  the  time  of 
the  taking  of  Troy,  B.  C.  1184;  whilst  other 
chronologers  assert  that  Carthage  was  erected 
by  dueen  Dido,  B.  C.  869.  I  have  given  this 
last  date,  as  being  the  one  generally  preferred  ; 
but  I  mention  the  variance  (in  this  instance 
amounting  to  315  years)  to  prepare  you  for 
the  apparent  contradictions  you  may  meet 
28 


326  CONCLUSION. 

with  in  chronology.  When  you  observe  any 
difference  of  dates,  you  must  weigh  well  the 
reasons  given  for  each,  and  then  decide  for 
yourself  which  date  you  think  is  best  estab- 
lished - —  which  is  most  likely  to  be  right. 

That  such  differences  abound  cannot  be 
deemed  surprising,  when  we  reflect  on  the 
obscurity  in  which  all  ancient  history  must 
inevitably,  from  various  causes,  be  involved. 


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A    CHRISTMAS   CAROL. 
STORY    OF    LITTLE    CRISTAL. 
MABEL    ON    MIDSUMMER-DAY. 
THE    OHRISTMAS-TBKK. 
A    DREAM. 

PICTURE    OP    THE    VIRGIN. 
BOY  OF  THE  SOUTHERN    ISLE. 
BIRDS    AND    THE  GUINEA-PIGS. 
CORN-FIELDS. 
THE    PIGEON-HUUSE. 
THE    spirit's    questionings. 
THIS    WORLD  AND  THE  NK.\T. 
LITTLE    CHILDREN. 
THE  YOUNQ  TURTLE  DOVE  OF 
CARMEL. 


THE    JOY    OF    ENGKLK. 
MARIEN's    PILGRIMAGE. 
painter's    LITTLE    MODEL. 
MAN   IN    A    WILDERNESS. 
BLIND    BOY    AND    HIS    SISTER 
THE    CHRISTMAS    DINNER. 
OLD    CHRIStMAS 

TWO  friend's  counsel, 

THE    CHILDREN. 

BEGINNING  AND  END  OF  MRS. 
MUGOERIDGe's  WEDDING- 
DINNER. 

COMING    SPRING. 

THE    tax-gatherer's    VISIT. 


J 


"  Mary  Hewitt's  StorieB  for  Children  are  with  many  preferred  abov 
all  the  other  works  of  that  charming  writer,  so  true  and  genial  is  th 
sympathy  she  shows  for  the  young,  and  so  healthy  the  tone  of  her  genily 
insinuated  moral."— Mrs.  Kirkland. 


C.  8.  FRANCIS  &  CO.,   262  BBOADWAT, 


One  thick  Volume,  vnfh  Illustrattnns,  and  a  Memoir 
of  the  Author  by  Mary  Howitt. 

Price  75  cents;  extra  gilt,  ijjl. 
CONTENTS. 


MEMOIR   OF    HANS    CHRISTIAN 

ANDERSEN. 
A      PICTURE-BOOK      WITHOUT 

PICTURES. 
MY  BOOTS. 

SCENES  ON  THE  DANUBE. 
PEGASUS  AND  POST-HORSES. 
emperor's  NEW  CLOTHES. 
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THE  SHADOW- 

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"  We  have  placed  AnderMrt's  name  at  the  head  of  our  list,  in  gratituds 
for  the  delight  and  amusement  his  stories  for  children  have  afforded  us. 
When  Fairy-land  seemed  lost  to  us,  or  peopled  by  a  new  race  of  utilita- 
rians, who  spoke  its  language  and  tried  its  spells  in  mere  slavish  imitation, 
without  comprehending  their  use  and  meaning ;  a  Poet  from  the  North 
has  made  fresh  flowers  bloom  there,  and  brought  it  back  again  to  our 
hearts  and  eyes  in  brighter  colors  and  stronger  outlines  than  before."— 
Chnathan  Remembrancer. 

"There  is  a  child-like  tenderness  and  simplicity  in  his  writings—an  ele- 
vation and  purity  of  tone — which  is  the  secret  of  the  extreme  charm  his 
celebrated  stories  have  for  children.  They  are  as  simple  and  as  touching 
ajB  the  old  Bible  narratives  of  Joseph  and  his  Brethren,  and  the  little  lad 
who  died  in  the  corn  field  We  wonder  not  at  their  being  the  most  popu- 
lar books  of  their  kind  in  Europe." — Mary  Howitt. 


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